X
To unlock: press the catch in the direction
of arrow 0087.
The sliding door is unlocked.
X Slide the sliding door to the stop in the
direction of arrow 0043.
X To close: slide the sliding door in the direc-
tion of arrow 0044until it engages. Side windows
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
While opening the side windows, body parts
could become trapped between the side win-
dow and the door frame as the side window
moves. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody touches the side win-
dow during the opening procedure. If some-
body becomes trapped, release the switch or
pull the switch to close the side window again. G
WARNING
While opening the side windows, body parts
in the closing area could become trapped.
There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that no body parts are in close
proximity during the closing procedure. If
somebody becomes trapped, release the
switch or press the switch to open the side
window again. G
WARNING
If children operate the side windows they
could become trapped, particularly if they are
left unsupervised. There is a risk of injury.
Activate the override feature for the rear side
windows. When leaving the vehicle, always
take the SmartKey with you and lock the vehi-
cle. Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. G
WARNING
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child restraint system. Children could otherwise
injure themselves on parts of the vehicle.
They could be severely or even fatally injured
by prolonged exposure to intense heat or
cold.
If children open a door, they could:
R
injure other people
R get out of the vehicle and thereby injure
themselves or be injured by a passing vehi-
cle
R severely injure themselves by falling down,
in particular due to the vehicle height
Always take the key with you when leaving the
vehicle, even if you are only leaving for a short
time. Opening/closing the side window
Control panel (example, driver's door)
0043
Power window, left
0044 Power window, right
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press or pull button 0043or0044 until the cor-
responding side window has reached the
desired position.
If you press the switch beyond the pressure
point and then release it, the window opens
automatically. To stop the movement, press
or pull the switch again. 78
Side windowsOpening and closing
Useful information
This Operator's Manual describes all models
as well as standard and optional equipment
of your vehicle that were available at the time
of going to print. Country-specific variations
are possible. Note that your vehicle may not
be equipped with all of the described func-
tions. This also applies to systems and func-
tions relevant to safety.
Read the information on qualified specialist
workshops (Y page 26). Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the driver's seat is not engaged, it could
move unexpectedly while the vehicle is in
motion. This could cause you to lose control
of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Always make sure that the driver's seat is
engaged before starting the engine. G
WARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on the
seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure when adjusting a seat that no one
has any body parts in the sweep of the seat. G
WARNING
If head restraints are not installed and
adjusted correctly, they cannot provide pro-
tection as intended. There is an increased risk
of injury in the head and neck area, e.g. in the
event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level.
Your seat must be adjusted in such a way that
you can wear the seat belt correctly. Observe the following points:
R
Position the backrest in an almost vertical
position so that you are sitting virtually
upright. Do not drive with the backrest
reclined too far back.
R Your arms should be slightly bent when you
are holding the steering wheel.
R Avoid seat positions that prevent the seat
belt from being routed correctly. The
shoulder section of the belt must be routed
over the middle of your shoulder and be
pulled tight against your upper body. The
lap belt must always pass across your lap
as low down as possible, i.e. over your hip
joints.
R Adjust the head restraint so that it supports
the back of the head at eye level.
R The distance from the pedals should be
such that you can depress them fully.
Observe also the safety notes in the section
on "Air bags" (Y page 44) and "Children in the
vehicle" ( Ypage 50).
If you swap over the head restraints for the
front and rear seats, you will not be able to
adjust the height and angle of the head
restraints to the correct position.
Use the head restraint pad to adjust the head
restraint so that it is as close as possible to
the back of your head.
Before the journey, make sure the head
restraints have been correctly set for each of
the vehicle's passengers (Y page 86).82
SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
Driver's and co-driver's seat
0043
Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
0044 Lumbar support adjustment
0087 Seat backrest adjustment
0085 Seat height adjustment
0083 Seat cushion angle adjustment
0084 Seat suspension adjustment
006B Seat suspension lock
i Depending on the seat model, some
adjustments may not be available.
You can find information on rotating the
front seats under "Swiveling front seats"
(Y page 84).
X To adjust the seat fore-and-aft posi-
tion: pull lever 0043up.
X Slide the seat forwards or back until you
can depress the pedals.
X Release lever 0043.
X Slide the seat forwards or back until you
hear it engage.
X To adjust the backrest: turn handwheel
0087 towards the front.
The seat backrest moves to a vertical posi-
tion.
X Turn handwheel 0087towards the rear.
The seat backrest tilts towards the rear. X
To adjust the seat height: press or pull
lever 0085repeatedly until you have reached
the desired seat height.
X To adjust the seat angle: turn handwheel
0083 towards the front.
The front of the seat cushion is lowered.
X Turn handwheel 0083towards the rear.
The front of the seat cushion is raised.
i The lumbar support allows you to use the
backrest to increase the support provided
to the lumbar spine.
When the lumbar support is correctly
adjusted, it reduces strain on your back
while driving.
X To adjust the lumbar support: turn hand-
wheel 0044upwards.
This increases the support provided to the
lumbar region.
X Turn handwheel 0044downwards.
This reduces the support provided to the
lumbar region.
The seat suspension must be adapted to your
body weight. Adjust the seat suspension only
while the seat is unoccupied.
X To adjust the seat suspension: take your
weight off the seat.
X Using handwheel 0084, set your body weight
(40 to 120 kg) for optimum seat suspen-
sion.
The seat suspension will become more rigid
the higher you set the weight. It will then
not move as far. Seats
83Seats, ste ering wheel and mirrors Z
Locking mechanism lever on the feet of the bench
seat
X To remove the rear bench seat: swing all
levers 0043of the bench seat completely
upwards.
The bench seat moves back into the seat
mounting recesses on the vehicle floor.
X Lift the bench seat upwards out of the seat
mounting recesses. i
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
number of seats for models registered as
passenger vehicles.
X To install the rear bench seat: observe
the prescribed installation position of the
bench seat.
Install the two-seat bench seat only on the
driver's side.
X Check mounting shells 0044on the vehicle
floor.
Mounting shells 0044must be free from dirt
and foreign objects.
X Position the bench seat in the direction of
travel in corresponding mounting
shells 0044. X
Slide the bench seat forwards until you
hear the locking mechanisms engage.
X Check levers 0043on the anchorages of the
bench seat.
All levers 0043must be flush to the vehicle
floor. Head restraints
G
WARNING
If head restraints are not installed and
adjusted correctly, they cannot provide pro-
tection as intended. There is an increased risk
of injury in the head and neck area, e.g. in the
event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level.
Do not change over the head restraints for the
front and rear seats. Otherwise, it will not be
possible to correctly adjust the height and
angle of the head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint so that it is as close
as possible to the back of your head. Head restraint (example: luxury head restraint on
the co-driver's seat)
0043 Release button
0044 Head restraint height
0087 Head restraint angle (luxury head
restraints only) 86
SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
X
Make sure that the key is in position 1or
2 in the ignition lock.
X To switch on: press the0072button
repeatedly until the desired heating level
has been set.
X To switch off: press the0072button
repeatedly until all indicator lamps go out.
If the indicator lamps of the current heating
level in the 0072button flash, the seat heat-
ing has switched off automatically. In this
case, too many electrical consumers are
switched on or the battery charge is not suf-
ficient. The seat heating will automatically
switch back to the current heating level when
enough on-board voltage is available again. Steering wheel
G
WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you
do the following while driving:
R adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt
before starting the engine. G
WARNING
If the steering wheel is unlocked while the
vehicle is in motion, it could change position
unexpectedly. This could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Before starting off, make sure the steering
wheel is locked. Never unlock the steering
wheel while the vehicle is in motion. G
WARNING
Children could injure themselves if they
adjust the steering wheel. There is a risk of
injury. When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The steering wheel can still be adjusted if the
key has been removed. 0043
Steering column fore-and-aft adjustment
0044 Steering column height
0087 Lever
X To set the steering wheel: swing lever
0087 down until it engages.
The steering wheel is unlocked.
X Move the steering wheel to the desired
position.
X Pull lever 0087up to the stop.
The steering wheel is locked again. 88
Steering wheelSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
here on the inside title page. Details can be
found in the Maintenance Booklet. Short journey
! If the vehicle is predominantly used for
short-distance driving, this could lead to a
malfunction in the automatic cleaning func-
tion for the diesel particle filter. As a result,
fuel may accumulate in the engine oil and
cause engine failure.
Therefore, if you mainly drive short distan-
ces, you should drive on a highway or on
rural roads for 20 minutes every 310 miles
(500 km). This ensures sufficient regener-
ation of the diesel particle filter.
Therefore, if you mainly drive short distances,
drive on a freeway or an inter-urban road for
20 minutes every 300 miles (500 km). This
facilitates the diesel particle filter's burn-off
process. Speed limiter
G
WARNING
Exceeding the stated tire load-bearing capa-
city and the approved maximum speed could
lead to tire damage or the tire bursting. There
is a risk of accident.
Therefore, only use tire types and sizes
approved for your vehicle model. Observe the
tire load rating and speed rating required for
your vehicle.
As the driver, you must find out about the
maximum speed of the vehicle and the result-
ing permissible maximum speed of the tires
(tire and tire pressure). In particular, also
observe the tire approval regulations for each
country.
You must not exceed the speed limit for the
tires listed in the tire pressure tables. You can
find information on tire pressures in the
"Wheels and tires" section (Y page 290).You can permanently limit the maximum
speed of your vehicle to 75 mph (120 km/h).
We recommend that you use an authorized
Sprinter Dealer for the programming of the
maximum speed.
Before overtaking, take into consideration
that the engine speed limiter prevents the
speed increasing beyond the programmed
maximum speed. Travel abroad
Service An extensive network of authorized Sprinter
Dealers is also at your disposal when you are
traveling abroad. Nevertheless, please bear
in mind that service facilities or replacement
parts may not always be immediately availa-
ble. You can obtain a list of workshops at any
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
Fuel
In some countries, only fuels with a higher
sulfur content are available.
Unsuitable fuel can cause engine damage.
Information on fuel (Y
page 320).
Low-beam headlamps If you are traveling in countries where vehi-
cles are driven on the opposite side of the
road to that in which the vehicle is registered,
you will need to:
R
have the halogen headlamps partially
masked
R have the Bi-Xenon headlamps set to sym-
metrical low beam
This prevents glare to oncoming traffic and no
longer illuminates the edge of the road to the
same height and distance.
Have the headlamps masked or adjusted at a
qualified specialist workshop before you
cross the border, but as close to it as possi-
ble. Driving tips
155Driving and parking Z
When you return from your journey, and as
close to the border as possible, you will need
to:
R remove the adhesive surfaces from your
halogen headlamps and clean the glass of
the headlamps if necessary
R have the Bi-Xenon headlamps reset to
asymmetrical low beam at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop Transport by rail
Transporting your vehicle by rail may be sub-
ject to certain restrictions or require special
measures to be taken in some countries due
to varying tunnel heights and loading stand-
ards.
You can obtain further information from any
authorized Sprinter dealer. Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients !
Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
On long and steep downhill gradients, you
should change down to shift range 0048or0047
in good time. This should be observed in par-
ticular when driving with a laden vehicle and
when towing a trailer. i
You must also change the shift range in
good time when cruise control is switched
on.
You thereby make use of the braking effect of
the engine and do not have to brake as often
to maintain the speed. This relieves the load
on the service brake and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This
increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately.
Drive on for a short while. The brakes are
cooled down more quickly in the airflow.
Wet road surfaces If you have been driving for a long time in
heavy rain without braking, there may be a
delayed response when you first apply the
brakes. This may also occur after driving
through a car wash or deep water.
You must depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a longer distance to the vehi-
cle in front.
While paying attention to the traffic condi-
tions, you should brake the vehicle firmly
after driving on a wet road surface or through
a car wash. This heats the brake discs, so that
they dry more quickly, which protects them
against corrosion.156
Driving tipsDriving and parking
safety. The notes on operation, care and
maintenance issued by the manufacturer
should be observed.
R The bumpers of your vehicle are not suita-
ble for installing detachable trailer cou-
plings.
R Do not install rented trailer couplings or
other detachable trailer couplings to the
bumpers.
R Minimize the risk of damage to the ball cou-
pling. If you do not require the ball coupling,
remove it from the ball coupling recess.
Weight information can be found in the “Per-
missible trailer and drawbar noseweights”
section (Y page 178).
i The height of the ball neck changes
according to the load on the vehicle. If this
is case, use a trailer with a height-adjust-
able trailer drawbar.
Driving tips The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combination depends on the type of
trailer. Before setting off, check the vehicle
documents of the your trailer to find out the
permissible maximum speed. Observe the
legally prescribed maximum speed for vehi-
cle/trailer combinations in the relevant coun-
try, state or Canadian province.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
On long, steep downhill slopes you must
select shift range 3,2or 1in good time.
i This also applies if cruise control is acti-
vated.
This enables you to utilize the engine's brak-
ing effect and you do not need to brake so
heavily to keep the correct speed. which pro-
tects the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly. If you need to brake additionally, to
not depress the brake pedal constantly, but
periodically. Driving tips If the trailer begins to swing from side to side:
X
Do not accelerate.
X Do not counter-steer.
X Brake if necessary.
i You can reduce the risk of the trailer
swinging and rocking by retrofitting anti-
roll bars or trailer stability programs. More
information is available from your author-
ized Sprinter Dealer.
R Maintain a greater distance than you would
when driving without towing a trailer.
R Avoid sudden braking. Apply the brakes
gently at first to allow the trailer brake to
overrun. Then, increase the brake force
quickly.
R The figures for the gradient climbing capa-
bilities from a standstill refer to sea level.
When driving in mountainous areas, note
that the power output of the engine, and
with it its gradient climbing capability,
decrease with increasing altitude. Attaching and removing the ball cou-
pling
G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly installed
and secured, it could come loose while driving
and endanger other road users. There is a risk
of an accident and injury.
Install and secure the ball coupling as descri-
bed in the ball coupling manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions. Make sure that the ball
coupling is correctly installed and secured
before every journey. G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed and secured
correctly the trailer may come loose. There is
a risk of an accident.
Install and secure the ball coupling as descri-
bed in the ball coupling installation instruc-
tions. Make sure that the ball coupling is Towing a trailer
175Driving and parking
Z