
Always observe the operating instructions of
the respective manufacturer when using suit-
able load securing aids or tie downs. In par-
ticular, the information on service life.
Load securing aids and tie downs may not be
used, for example, if:
R identification marks are missing or illegible
R there are yarn breakages, damage to bear-
ing seams or other signs of tearing
R there are signs of shearing, deformation,
pinching or other damage
R there is damage to clamping or connecting
elements
Such load securing aids and tie downs are
worn; they should not be used and must be
replaced. If you use load securing aids or tie
downs which are worn, the load may not be
sufficiently secured and could cause damage
to property.
After an accident, the following must be
checked at a specialist workshop:
R Cargo compartment floor
R Load surface
R Cargo tie-down rings
R Tie downs
Otherwise, the load may not be correctly
secured the next time anything is stowed.
Even if you follow all loading guidelines, the
load increases the risk of injury in the event
of an accident. Observe the tips in the "Secur-
ing luggage/loads" (Y page 244) and "Load
distribution" (Y page 244) sections. Before loading
! The anti-slip mats cannot be used for
securing goods and must be replaced when
they show signs of:
R Permanent deformation and crushing
R Crack formation
R Cuts X
Tire pressure: check the tire pressure and
correct if necessary ( Ypage 290).
X Cargo compartment floor: clean the
cargo compartment floor.
The cargo compartment floor must be free
from oil and dust, dry and swept clean to
prevent the load from slipping.
X Place non-slip mats (anti-slip mats) on the
cargo compartment floor if necessary. During loading
! On passenger van versions with maxi-
mum seating layout, the permissible rear
axle load would be exceeded if the full pay-
load were to be loaded in the cargo com-
partment.
X Observe the gross axle weight rating and
permissible gross vehicle weight for your
vehicle.
Take into account that your vehicle's curb
weight is increased if accessories or
optional equipment are installed. The max-
imum payload is thus reduced.
X Observe the notes on load distribution
(Y page 244).
The overall center of gravity of the load
should always be as low as possible, cen-
tered and between the axles near the rear
axle.
X Secure the load (Y page 244).
Always observe the relevant country-spe-
cific legal requirements, laws and regula-
tions. Checks after loading
G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases, such as carbon monoxide. If the sliding
door or rear door is open when the engine is
running, exhaust gases can enter the vehicle
interior, especially during the journey. There
is a risk of poisoning. Loading guidelines
243Transporting loads
Z 

X
Place cap 0043on the filler neck and tighten.
When doing so, make sure that the cap
engages correctly.
X Check the oil level with the oil dipstick
(Y page 253) or on the display
(Y page 252).
X Close the hood. Coolant
G
WARNING
The engine cooling system is pressurized, par-
ticularly when the engine is warm. When
opening the cap, you could be scalded by hot
coolant spraying out. There is a risk of injury.
Let the engine cool down before opening the
cap. Wear eye and hand protection when
opening the cap. Open the cap slowly half a
turn to allow pressure to escape.
Only check the coolant level and/or fill the
coolant if the vehicle is on a level surface and
the engine has cooled down. The coolant tem-
perature must be below 122 ‡ (50 †).
! Check the engine cooling and heating sys-
tem regularly for leaks.
If a large quantity of coolant is lost, have
the cause traced and rectified at a qualified
specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Coolant contains glycol and is therefore toxic.
Do not swallow the coolant. See a doctor
immediately if you swallow coolant.
Make sure that coolant does not come into
contact with skin, eyes or clothing. In case of
contact with eyes, rinse immediately with
plenty of clean water. Clean affected areas of
skin and clothing with soap and water imme-
diately. Change any affected clothing imme-
diately. G
WARNING
If antifreeze comes into contact with hot com-
ponents in the engine compartment, it may
ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Let the engine cool down before you add anti-
freeze. Make sure that antifreeze is not spilled
next to the filler neck. Thoroughly clean the
antifreeze from components before starting
the engine.
! Take care not to spill any coolant on
painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork. Example: cap and coolant expansion tank
Checking the coolant level
X
Stop your vehicle as far away from traffic
as possible on level ground.
X Switch off the engine.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
X Open the hood (Y page 250).
X Slowly turn cap 0043half a turn counter-
clockwise to allow excess pressure to
escape.
X Turn cap 0043further and remove it.
X Check the coolant level.
If the coolant reaches the maximum mark
on coolant expansion tank 0044, there is
enough coolant in coolant expansion
tank 0044. Engine compartment
255Maintenance and care Z 

X
Clean all sensors 0043in the front and rear
bumpers with water, shampoo and a soft
cloth.
Cleaning the rear view camera !
Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and
do not scrub. Otherwise, you will scratch or
damage the lens of the rear-view camera.
If you clean the vehicle with a high-pressure
or steam cleaner, maintain a distance of at
least 1.650 cm from the rear-view camera.
Do not aim directly at the rear-view camera
or at the microphone opening on the under-
side of the rear-view camera. You could
otherwise damage the rear-view camera. Rear view camera in the middle of the roof above
the high-mounted brake lamp
0043 Camera lens
0044 Microphone openings
X Clean camera lens 0043with clear water and
a soft cloth.
Make sure that you do not apply any wax to
camera lens 0043when waxing the vehicle. If
necessary, remove the wax using water,
shampoo and a soft cloth.
Cleaning the sliding door X
Remove foreign objects from the vicinity of
the contact surfaces and contact pins of
the sliding door.
X Clean the contact surfaces and contact
pins with a mild cleaning agent and a soft
cloth. Do not oil or grease the contact plates and
contact pins.
Cleaning the electrical step Clean the electrical step at least once a
month. Make sure that no dirt accumulates in
the housing or on the step.
X
Extend the electrical step (Y page 73).
X Close the sliding door until the door lock
engages.
The electrical step remains extended for
cleaning.
X Clean the electrical step and the housing
with a power washer.
X After cleaning, spray the step guides on
each side with silicone spray when the
housing and electrical step are dry.
Do not use oil or grease as a lubricant.
X Retract the electric step.
Cleaning the trailer tow hitch !
Do not clean the ball coupling with a
power washer. Do not use solvents.
! Observe the notes on care in the Opera-
tor's Manual for the trailer tow hitch and
the ball coupling manufacturer.
You can also have the maintenance work on
the ball coupling and the trailer tow hitch car-
ried out by a qualified specialist workshop. Interior
Cleaning with a power washer !
When using liquids to clean the vehicle
interior, observe the following points:
R Under no circumstances use power
washers.
R Make sure that no fluids enter or remain
in gaps and cavities. Care
271Maintenance and care Z 

R
Ensure sufficient ventilation when clean-
ing.
R Make sure that the vehicle interior is
completely dry after cleaning.
Cleaning the display !
For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-
lowing:
R alcohol-based thinner or gasoline
R abrasive cleaning agents
R commercially-available household clean-
ing agents
These may damage the display surface. Do
not put pressure on the display surface
when cleaning. This could lead to irrepara-
ble damage to the display.
X Switch off the audio equipment and let the
display cool down.
X Clean the display surface with a commer-
cially available microfiber cloth and cleaner
for TFT/LCD displays.
X Dry the display surface using a dry micro-
fiber cloth.
Cleaning the plastic trim G
WARNING
Care products and cleaning agents containing
solvents cause surfaces in the cockpit to
become porous. As a result, plastic parts may
come loose in the event of air bag deploy-
ment. There is a risk of injury.
Do not use any care products and cleaning
agents to clean the cockpit.
! Do not affix the following to plastic surfa-
ces:
R stickers
R films
R scented oil bottles or similar items
You can otherwise damage the plastic.
! Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent
or sunscreen to come into contact with the plastic trim. This maintains the high-quality
look of the surfaces.
X Wipe the plastic trim and the cockpit with
a damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfiber
cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use a mild detergent.
Cleaning the steering wheel and selec-
tor lever X
Thoroughly wipe with a damp cloth.
Cleaning the trim elements !
Do not use solvent-based cleaning agents
such as tar remover, wheel cleaners, pol-
ishes or waxes. There is otherwise a risk of
damaging the surface.
X Wipe the trim elements with a damp, lint-
free cloth, e.g. a microfiber cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use care products and
cleaning agents recommended and
approved for Sprinter vehicles.
Cleaning the seat covers !
Do not use microfiber cloths to clean arti-
ficial leather covers. If used often, a micro-
fiber cloth can damage the cover.
! Clean:
R artificial leather covers with a cloth mois-
tened with a solution containing 1%
detergent, e.g. dish washing liquid.
R cloth covers with a microfiber cloth mois-
tened with a solution containing 1%
detergent, e.g. dish washing liquid. Wipe
entire seat sections carefully to avoid
leaving visible lines. Leave the seat to dry
afterwards. Cleaning results depend on
the type of dirt and how long it has been
there. 272
CareMaintenance and care 

is bar. 100 kilopascals (kPa) are the equiva-
lent of 1 bar.
Load index
In addition to the load bearing index, a load
index can be stamped onto the sidewall of the
tire. It specifies the load-bearing capacity of
the tire more precisely.
Curb weight
The weight of a vehicle with standard equip-
ment including the maximum filling capacity
of fuel, oil, and coolant. It also includes the
air-conditioning system and optional equip-
ment if these are installed on the vehicle, but
does not include passengers or luggage.
Maximum tire load
The maximum tire load in kilograms or
pounds is the maximum weight for which a
tire is approved.
Maximum permissible tire pressure
Maximum permissible tire pressure for one
tire.
Maximum load on one tire
Maximum load on one tire. This is calculated
by dividing the maximum axle load of one axle
by two.
PSI (Pounds per square inch)
Standard unit of measurement for tire pres-
sure.
Aspect ratio
Relationship between tire height and width in
percent.
Tire pressure
Pressure inside the tire applying an outward
force to every square inch of the tire's sur-
face. Tire pressure is specified in pounds per
square inch (psi), in kilopascal (kPa) or in bar.
Tire pressure should only be corrected when
the tires are cold. Cold tire pressure
The tires are cold:
R
if the vehicle has been parked for at least
three hours without direct sunlight on the
tires, and
R if the vehicle has not been driven further
than 1 mile (1.6 km)
Tire tread
The part of the tire that comes into contact
with the road.
Tire bead
The tire bead ensures that the tire sits
securely on the wheel. There are several steel
wires in the bead to prevent the tire from
coming loose from the wheel rim.
Sidewall
The part of the tire between the tread and the
tire bead.
Weight of optional extras
The combined weight of those optional extras
that weigh more than the replaced standard
parts and more than 2.3 kg (5 lbs). These
optional extras, such as high-performance
brakes, level control, a roof rack or a high-
performance battery, are not included in the
curb weight and the weight of the accesso-
ries.
TIN (Tire Identification Number)
A unique identification number which can be
used by a tire manufacturer to identify tires,
for example for a product recall, and thus
identify the purchasers. The TIN is composed
of the manufacturer identification code, tire
size, tire model code and manufacturing date.
Load bearing index
The load bearing index (also load index) is a
code that contains the maximum load bearing
capacity of a tire. 306
What you should know about wheels and tiresWheels and tires 

Jacking point, rear axle (example: Cab Chassis)
Jacking point at the rear axle on chassis
versions
X Place the jack next to the front leaf spring
support beneath the jacking point.
Raising the vehicle
X Move pump lever 0043up and down until the
tire is a maximum of 1.2 in (3 cm) off the
ground.
Removing a wheel !
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 tightened.
X Unscrew the wheel bolts or nuts.
X On front wheels with wheel nuts, remove
the wheel nut cover.
X Remove the wheel.
Mounting a new wheel G
WARNING
Oiled or greased wheel bolts or damaged
wheel bolts/hub threads can cause the wheel
bolts to come loose. As a result, you could
lose a wheel while driving. There is a risk of
accident.
Never oil or grease wheel bolts. In the event
of damage to the threads, contact a qualified
specialist workshop immediately. Have the
damaged wheel bolts or hub threads
replaced/renewed. Do not continue driving. G
WARNING
If you tighten the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
when the vehicle is raised, the jack could tip
over. There is a risk of injury.
Only tighten the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
when the vehicle is on the ground.
Always observe the instructions and safety
notes on "Changing a wheel" ( Ypage 307).
Only use wheel bolts or wheel nuts that have
been designed for the wheel and the vehicle.
For safety reasons, we recommend that you
only use wheel bolts or wheel nuts which have
been approved for Sprinter vehicles and the
respective wheel.
! For a steel wheel, only use the short wheel
bolts to mount the steel spare wheel. Using
other wheel bolts to mount the steel spare
wheel could damage the brake system.
! On vehicles equipped with a tire pressure
monitor, electronic components are
located in the wheel.
Tire-mounting tools should not be used
near the valve. This could damage the elec-
tronic components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. 0043
Wheel bolt for alloy wheel
0044 Wheel bolt for steel wheel
X Clean the wheel and wheel hub contact
surfaces.
X Slide the new wheel onto the wheel hub and
push it on. Changing wheels
311Wheels and tires Z