2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER length

Towing a trailer
Notes on trailer towing Important safety notes
The trailer coupling is one of the most
important vehicle parts with regard to road
safety. The notes on operation, care and
maintenance issued by the manufacturer
should be observed.
G
Warning!
Improper equipment or driving technique
while driving with a trailer can cause you to
lose control of your vehicle.
Improper towing or failure to observe the
Operator's Manual can lead to vehicle
damage and/or serious
injuries. Observe the
following guidelines in order to guarantee safe
driving with trailers.
Contact an authorized Sprinter Dealer if you
require any explanation of the information
contained in the Operator's Manual.
General notes
R Install only an approved trailer coupling on
your vehicle.
Further information about availability and
installation of trailer couplings can be
obtained from any authorized Sprinter
Dealer.
R The bumpers of your vehicle are not
suitable for installing detachable trailer
couplings.
R Do not install rented trailer couplings or
other detachable trailer couplings to the
bumpers.
R To reduce the risk of damage to the ball
coupling when using a detachable trailer
coupling, remove the ball coupling from its
mounting when it is not needed.
Coupling up a trailer Observe the maximum permissible trailer
dimensions (width and length). Most federal states and all Canadian
provinces require by law:
R
safety chains between the towing vehicle
and the
trailer.

The chains should be cross-
wound under the trailer drawbar. They must
be fastened to the vehicle's trailer
coupling, not to the bumper or the axle.
Allow for enough play in the chains to
facilitate turning tight corners.
R a separate brake system for certain types
of trailer.
R a safety switch for braked trailers. Check
the specific legal requirements applicable
to your federal state.
If the trailer detaches from the towing
vehicle, the safety switch applies the
trailer's brakes.
i The vehicle's subharness has an electric
cable to the brake light indicator lamp. G
Warning
Follow the manufacturer's operating
instructions for the trailer tow hitch when
using a detachable trailer tow hitch.
Couple and decouple the trailer carefully. A
trailer which is incorrectly coupled to the
towing vehicle could break away. A correctly
coupled trailer must be positioned
horizontally behind the vehicle.
Ensure that the following weights are not
exceeded:
R the permissible noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear

axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the permissible gross weight for both the
towing vehicle and the trailer
The permissible values, which must not be
exceeded, can be found in your vehicle
documents and on the trailer tow hitch type
plates for the trailer and the vehicle. Where
the values differ, the lowest is valid. 150
Transporting loads with the vehicle
Operation

Coolant heat can additionally be dissipated
by opening
the
windows and by setting the
blower fan and the interior temperature to
maximum.
R When overtaking, pay particular attention
to the extended length of your vehicle/
trailer combination.
Due to the length of your vehicle/trailer
combination, you will have to travel an
additional distance beyond the vehicle you
are overtaking before returning to the
original lane.
If the trailer begins to swing from side to side:
X do not accelerate.
X do not counter-steer.
X brake if necessary. G
Warning
Under no circumstances try to straighten the
vehicle/trailer combination by

increasing the
speed.
i You can reduce the risk of the trailer
swinging and snaking by retrofitting anti-
roll bars or trailer stability programs. You
can obtain further information from an
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
Uncoupling a trailer X
Make sure that the automatic transmission
is set to position P.
X Engage the vehicle's parking brake.
X Remove the trailer cable and uncouple the
trailer.
X Engage the trailer's parking brake.
Load distribution The Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) is the
combined weight of the trailer together with
the cargo and equipment loaded on the
trailer. The maximum permissible gross
weight is
vehicle-specific

and depends on the
equipment level: 5000 lbs (2268 kg) or
7500 lbs (3402 kg). The permissible Trailer drawbar Weight
Rating (TWR) is the maximum weight
permitted on the trailer drawbar: 750 lbs
(340 kg) or 500 lbs (227 kg) is the limit for
trailer couplings approved by the vehicle
distributor named on the inside of the front
cover.
The Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR)
is
the

sum of the Gross Trailer Weight and the
vehicle weight, including a driver weight of
approximately 150 lbs (68 kg). The
permissible GCWR is vehicle-specific and
depends on the equipment level.
When driving with a trailer, you should not
exceed the permitted Gross Combination
Weight Rating (GCWR).
You must distribute the load on the vehicle
and trailer so that the permitted maximum
values for the vehicle (GCWR) and trailer
(GTW) weight as well as permitted axle loads
(GAWR) and noseweight (TWR) of your vehicle
are not exceeded.
i Take into account that the vehicle's
permissible payload must be reduced to
compensate for the noseweight.
The applicable permissible values, which
must not be exceeded, can be found in your
vehicle documents and on the type plates for
the trailer tow hitch, trailer and vehicle
(Y page 277). You will also find a list of the
permissible values in the "Technical data"
(Y page 284) section. Where the values
differ, the lowest is valid.
! The permissible gross combination
weight is less than the sum of the
permissible gross vehicle weight plus the
permissible trailer load. Exceeding the
permissible gross combination weight can
lead to damage to the drivetrain, to the
transmission or to the trailer tow hitch.
For this reason, applicable values for the
permissible gross vehicle weight or the
permissible trailer load are reduced
accordingly if either the vehicle or the
trailer is fully loaded. In this case, the trailer
or the vehicle may only be partially loaded. 152
Transporting loads with the vehicle
Operation

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

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050 SolutionsThe engine does not
start.
The starter motor can
be heard. There is air in the fuel system.
X
Turn the key back to position 0 in the ignition lock before
attempting to start the engine again.
X Start the engine again.
Please bear in
mind that lengthy and frequent starting attempts
will drain the battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start.
The starter motor can
be heard. The reserve
fuel warning lamp is lit
and the
fuel

gauge is at
0. The fuel tank has been run dry.
X
Refuel the vehicle.
X Bleed the fuel system . The engine does not
start.
The starter motor
cannot be heard.
The
00BB yellow engine
diagnostic lamp and
the yellow DEF
indicator lamp 00E48
lights up. The exhaust gas aftertreatment is faulty, an emission-relevant
malfunction has occurred or the DEF reserve has been used up.
The engine management prevents the engine from starting.
This malfunction or malfunction can damage the exhaust gas
aftertreatment.
X
Observe the messages in the display:
R
on vehicles without steering-wheel buttons (Y page 199)
R on vehicles with steering-wheel buttons (Y page 202) and
(Y page 204). The engine does not
start.
The starter motor
cannot be heard. The battery isolating switch is switched off.
X
Switch on the power supply ( Y page 88).The engine does not
start.
The starter motor
cannot be heard. The on-board voltage is too low (the battery is too weak or
discharged).
X
Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 247).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. 8
Only vehicles without steering-wheel buttons. Troubleshooting
213
Practical advice Z

X
Remove implement 0047.
X Refit cover 0046. Jump starting, tow-starting and
towing away
Jump-starting
General notes If the vehicle battery is flat, the engine can be
started from another vehicle using jumper
cables. For this purpose, the vehicle has a
jump-starting connection point in the engine
compartment.
The additional battery in the engine
compartment is
not
suitable for jump-starting
operations. If your vehicle requires jump-
starting, or if you use it to jump-start another
vehicle, use the jump-starting connection
point in the engine compartment. G
Warning
Explosive oxyhydrogen is produced when
batteries are being

charged. When working on
batteries, always make sure that the work
area is well ventilated.
Keep flames and naked lights away from the
battery, and do not smoke.
Prevent the creation of sparks (e.g. when
disconnecting the batteries). Sparks can
ignite the oxyhydrogen gas and cause the
batteries to explode. You and others could be
seriously injured. G
Warning
Due to the gases which escape from batteries,
there is a risk of acid burns when jump-
starting a vehicle.

Do not lean over the battery
while the engine is being jump-started.
! Avoid repeated and lengthy starting
attempts.
Do not use a rapid-charging device to start
the engine. When jump-starting, observe the following
points:
R
jump-starting must only be performed
when the engine and catalytic converter
are cold.
R do not start the engine if the battery is
frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
R when jump-starting, use

only batteries with
the same nominal voltage and a similar
capacity.
R only use jump leads protected against
polarity reversal, with adequate cross-
section and with insulated battery terminal
clamps.
X Make sure that the two vehicles do not
touch.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Move the selector lever of the automatic
transmission to position P.
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Switch on the battery isolating switch
(Y page 87).
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Open the hood (Y page 168).
Connecting the jumper cable Connection plan
X
Remove the cover from positive
terminal 0047 of the donor battery.
X First connect one of the positive terminal
clamps of the jumper cable to positive
terminal 0047 of the donor battery. Jump starting, tow-starting and towing away
247
Practical advice Z