2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER tires

G
Warning
If the minimum tire pressure of 43.5 psi
(3 bar) still cannot
be achieved, the tire is too
badly damaged.
Do not drive any further. Consult a qualified
specialist workshop which has the necessary
specialist knowledge and tools to carry out
the work required.
For this reason, we recommend an authorized
Sprinter Dealer. In particular, work relevant to
safety or on safety-related systems must be
carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
0040Environmental note
Have the used tire sealant disposed of at a
qualified specialist workshop, e.g. an
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
! Have the tire sealant bottle replaced
every eight years at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. an authorized Sprinter
Dealer. Changing a
wheel in the event of a flat
tire G
Warning
To avoid the risk of serious or even fatal injury
and to avoid damage to the vehicle, observe
the following:
R the vehicle's jack is intended only to raise
the vehicle for

a short time when changing
a wheel.
R position the jack on the appropriate jacking
point only. Make sure that the jack is
correctly positioned under the jacking point
before raising the vehicle.
R the jack must be placed on a firm, flat
surface.
R before raising the vehicle, you should also
secure it against rolling away, e.g. by
placing chocks under the wheels. Never
release the parking brake while 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 (3 cm). The vehicle could
otherwise slip off the jack or tip over.
R never place your hands or feet under the
raised vehicle.
R never start the engine, and prevent other
jolts or vibrations while the vehicle is
raised. The vehicle could otherwise slip off
the jack.
Preparing to change a wheel X
Prepare the vehicle as described
(Y
page 222).
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
using chocks or similar items.
Use the chock ( Y

page 183) to do so. G
Warning
The vehicle
could slip off the jack on uphill and
downhill gradients.
To avoid the risk of causing serious or even
fatal injury or damage to the vehicle, do not
change wheels on uphill and downhill
gradients.
On a level road:
X Place chocks in front of and behind the
wheel which is diagonally opposite the
wheel you wish to change.
X Take the vehicle tool kit and the jack from
the footwell on the co-driver's side
(Y page 182).
X Remove the spare wheel from the spare
wheel bracket ( Y page 185).
X On wheels with wheel bolts, remove the
hub cap.
X Assemble the lug wrench extension using
the middle rod

and the rod with the largest
diameter from the three-piece jack pump
lever.
X Starting with the middle rod, slide the lug
wrench extension as far as it will go onto
the lug wrench. Wheels and tires
229
Practical advice Z

!
Only use the jack pump lever middle rod
and the rod with the largest diameter as a
lug wrench extension.
Only slide the middle
rod as far as it will go onto the lug wrench.
The rods may otherwise bend and be
distorted to such an extent that they can
no longer be used as a pump lever for the
jack. X
Loosen the wheel nuts or wheel bolts on
the wheel to

be changed by about one turn
using extended lug wrench 0046. Do not
unscrew the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
completely.
Hydraulic jack X
Insert the third rod of the jack pump lever
into the lug wrench extension.
The jack pump lever is assembled. X
Close pressure release screw 0047.
X To do this, use the flattened section on
pump lever 0046 to turn pressure release
screw 0047 clockwise to the stop. i
Never turn pressure release screw 0047
more than 1 or 2 full turns. Hydraulic fluid
could otherwise escape.
X Insert pump lever 0046 into the
recess on the
jack and secure by turning it clockwise.
X Make sure that the jack is positioned
directly under the

jacking points described
below.
X Raise the vehicle by pumping the lever until
the wheel is raised clear of the ground.
Make sure that the distance between the
underside of the

tires and the ground does
not exceed 1.2 in (3 cm).
Jacking point at the front axle The vehicle jacking point is located under the
longitudinal member
in

front of the front axle. Jacking point at the rear axle
The jacking point is located under the
longitudinal member
in

front of the rear axle. Jacking point (example: vehicle type 2500)230
Wheels and tires
Practical advice

Jacking point (example: vehicle type 3500 )
!
Do not place
the jack on the leaf spring or
the differential case.
On cab chassis vehicles, the jacking point is
located next to the front leaf spring support. Jacking point (example: platform vehicle)
!
Only position the jack on the jacking
points intended for

this purpose. You could
otherwise damage the vehicle.
Removing a wheel X
Unscrew the wheel bolts or nuts.
! Do not place

the wheel bolts or the wheel
nuts in sand or dirt. The threads of the
wheel bolts and wheel nuts could otherwise
be damaged when being installed.
X On front wheels with wheel nuts, remove
the wheel nut cover.
X Remove the wheel. Mounting a new wheel G
Warning
To avoid the risk of serious or even fatal injury
and to avoid damage to the vehicle, observe
the following:
R replace the wheel bolts and wheel nuts if
they are damaged or have become rusty.
R never oil or grease wheel bolts or wheel
nuts.
R if a wheel

hub thread is damaged, you must
not drive the vehicle.
Consult a qualified specialist workshop
which has the necessary specialist
knowledge and tools to carry out the work
required.
For this reason, we recommend an
authorized Sprinter Dealer. In particular, all
work relevant to safety or on safety-related
systems must be carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
R For safety reasons, we recommend that you
only use wheel bolts and wheel nuts which
have been approved for Sprinter vehicles.
Other wheel bolts or wheel nuts could work
loose.
X Clean the wheel and wheel hub contact
surfaces.
X Push the wheel onto the wheel hub or the
adapter for the

spare wheel and press it on.
! If your vehicle is equipped with the tire
pressure monitor, each wheel has an
electronic component.
Tire-mounting tools should not be applied
in the area of the valve. Otherwise, the
electronic components could

be damaged.
Only have the tires changed at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Sprinter Dealer. G
Warning
Do not tighten the wheel bolts and wheel nuts
completely while the

vehicle is still jacked up.
The vehicle could otherwise tip. Wheels and tires
231
Practical advice Z

Wheels with centering by wheel bolts:
0046
Wheel bolt for alloy wheel
0047 Wheel bolt for steel wheel
! For a
steel
wheel, only use the short wheel
bolts to install the steel spare wheel. Using
other wheel bolts to install the steel spare
wheel could damage the brake system.
X Screw in the wheel bolts and tighten them
lightly.
i On vehicles with
alloy wheels, you will find
short wheel bolts suitable for the steel
spare wheel in the vehicle tool kit.
For wheels with wheel nuts:
X On the front wheels, push the wheel nut
cover onto the wheel bolts.
X Screw in three wheel nuts over the fixing
discs of the wheel nut cover.
X Turn the wheel so that the wheel bolts are
in the middle of the holes.
X Screw on the rest of the wheel nuts.
X Slightly tighten all the wheel nuts.
Lowering the vehicle X
Open the pressure release screw on the
jack with pump lever slowly by one turn
(Y page 230).
X Carefully lower the vehicle.
X Put the jack aside. X
Pull the rod with the smallest diameter off
the pump lever.
The shortened pump lever serves as a lug
wrench extension.
X Starting with the middle rod, slide the lug
wrench extension as far as it will go onto
the lug wrench.
! Only use the jack pump lever middle rod
and the rod with the largest diameter as a
lug wrench extension.

Only slide the middle
rod as far as it will go onto the lug wrench.
The rods may otherwise bend and be
distorted to such an extent that they can
no longer be used as a pump lever for the
jack. Tightening torque pattern
0046—0087
Wheel bolts or wheel nuts
X Tighten all the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
evenly in the

sequence indicated using the
extended lug wrench.
! The tightening torque is:
R for wheel bolts:

177 lb-ft (240 Nm) (steel
wheel)/133 lb-ft (180 Nm) (alloy wheel)
R for wheel nuts: 133 lb-ft (180 Nm)
You can now install the hub caps on steel
wheels with wheel bolts. The installing
procedure depends on whether the hub cap
covers the whole wheel or just the center.
! With a hub cap that covers the whole
wheel, make sure the opening for the tire
valve is positioned over the valve. 232
Wheels and tires
Practical advice

Vehicle equipment ............................
252
Important safety notes ....................252
Operation ........................................... 253
Operation in winter ...........................254
Tire pressure ..................................... 255
Loading the vehicle ..........................261
Maximum tire load ............................265
Tire labeling ....................................... 266
Definition for tires and loading ........268
Changing wheels ............................... 271 251Wheels and tires

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

Operation
Notes on driving
R If the vehicle
is heavily laden, check the tire
pressures, and correct them, if necessary.
R When parking your vehicle, make sure that
the tires do not get deformed by the curb
or other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive
over curbs, speed humps or similar
elevations, try to do so slowly and at an
obtuse angle. Otherwise, the tires,
particularly the sidewalls, can get
damaged. Notes on regularly inspecting wheels
and tires
G
Warning
Regularly check the tires for damage.
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation
pressure loss. As a result, you could lose
control of your vehicle.
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.
R Regularly check the wheels and tires of
your vehicle for damage (e.g. cuts,
punctures, tears, bulges on tires and
deformation or severe corrosion on
wheels), at least once a month, as well as
after driving off-road or on rough roads.
Damaged wheels can cause a loss of tire
pressure.
R Regularly check the tire tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the whole
width of the tire (Y page 253). If necessary,
turn the front wheels to full lock in order to
inspect the inner side of the tire surface.
R All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not
install anything onto the valve (such as tire
pressure monitoring systems) other than the standard valve cap or other valve caps
approved for your vehicle.
R Regularly check the

pressure of all the tires
including the spare wheel, particularly prior
to long trips, and correct the pressure
(Y page 255). Tire tread
G
Warning
Although the
applicable federal motor vehicle
safety laws consider a tire to be worn when
the tread wear indicators (TWI) become
visible at approximately 1
/ 16 in (1.6 mm), we
recommend that you do not allow your tires
to wear down to that level. As tread depth
approaches 1
/ 8 in (3 mm), the adhesion
properties on a

wet road are sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
Replace tires before they become excessively
worn, as the tire traction on wet road surfaces
decreases significantly when the tread depth
is less than ⅛ in (3 mm).
Tread wear indicators (TWIs) are required by
law. Six indicators are positioned over the tire
tread. They are visible once the tread depth
is approximately 1
/ 16 in (1.6 mm). If this is the
case, the tire is so worn that it must be
replaced.
The recommended tread depth for summer
tires is at least ⅛ in (3 mm). The
recommended tread depth for winter tires is
at least 1/6
in (4 mm). Operation
253
Wheels and tires Z

Bar marking 0046 for tread wear is integrated
into the tire tread.
Notes on selecting, mounting and
replacing tires
R Only mount tires and wheels of the same
type and make.
R Only mount tires of the correct size onto
the wheels.
R After mounting new tires, run them in at
moderate speeds for the first 60 miles
(100 km) as they only reach their full
performance after this distance.
R Do not use tires that are excessively worn
as the tire traction on wet road surfaces
decreases significantly when the tread
depth is less than ⅛ in (3 mm).
R Replace the tires after six years at the
latest, regardless of
wear. This also applies
to the spare wheel.
The service life of tires depends, among other
things, on the following factors:
R driving style
R tire pressure
R mileage
Permissible wheel/tire combinations and
instructions for tires can be found under
"Tires and wheels" in the "Technical data"
section ( Y page 280). Operation in winter
Please bear the following in mind
Have your vehicle

winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. at an authorized
Sprinter Dealer, at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes under "Winter driving" in
the "Operation" section (Y page 271). Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below

45 ‡(+7 †), summer
tires lose a lot of their elasticity, and thus also
lose grip and braking effect – equip your
vehicle with M+S tires. Summer tires may
develop cracks leading to permanent damage
if they are used at very low temperatures. We
cannot accept responsibility for this type of
damage. M+S tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡(+7 †), use
winter tires or all-season tires — both are
marked M+S.
In wintry road conditions, only winter tires
with the snowflake symbol 004D in addition
to the M+S marking offer the best possible
grip. Only these tires allow driving safety
systems such as ABS and ESP ®
to continue
to work optimally in winter, as these tires
have been

designed specifically for driving on
snow.
For safe driving, use M+S tires of the same
make and tread pattern on all wheels. G
Warning
M+S tires with a tread depth of less than 1
/ 6
inch (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
mounted. 254
Operation in winter
Wheels and tires