2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER towing

Useful information
............................136
Breaking-in notes .............................. 136
Driving ............................................... 136
Automatic transmission ...................144
Refueling ............................................ 148
Parking ............................................... 151
Driving tips ........................................ 153
Driving systems ................................ 161
Working mode ................................... 172
Towing a trailer ................................. 173 135Driving and parking

Selector lever positions
0045
Park position
This prevents the vehicle from roll-
ing away when stopped. Only move
the selector lever to
Pif the vehicle
is stationary.
You can only remove the key when
the selector lever is in this position.
The selector lever is locked in posi-
tion Pif the key is removed.
The parking lock should not be
used as a brake when parking.
Always apply the parking brake as
well once you have parked the vehi-
cle. 0046
Reverse gear
Only move the selector lever to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. 0044
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels. Releas-
ing the brakes will allow you to
move the vehicle freely, e.g. by
pushing or towing.
Do not move the selector lever to
N
while driving. The automatic
transmission could otherwise be
damaged.
If ASR is deactivated or ESP ®
has
malfunctioned: only move the
selector lever to Nif the vehicle is
in danger of skidding, e.g. on icy
roads. 003A
Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear itself. All forward
gears are available.
You can influence the gearshifts
and shift gears yourself or limit the
shift range. Changing gear
The 5-speed automatic transmission adapts
to your individual driving style by contin-
uously adjusting its shift points. These shift
point adjustments take into account the cur-
rent operating and driving conditions. If the
operating or driving conditions change, the
automatic transmission reacts by adjusting
the gearshift program.
When the selector lever is in position D, the
automatic transmission selects the individual
gears automatically. This depends on:
R any restriction in the shift range
(Y page 146)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed Touchshift
When the selector lever is in position D, you
can perform gearshifts yourself.
X To shift down: press the selector lever to
the left towards D–.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
next gear down, depending on the gear cur-
rently engaged. The shift range is also
restricted.
i The automatic transmission does not shift
down if you press the selector lever
towards D–while traveling at too high a
speed. This protects the engine from over-
revving.
X To shift up: briefly press the selector lever
to the right towards D+.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
next gear up, depending on the current
gearshift program. This also extends the
shift range. Automatic transmission
145Driving and parking Z

X
To derestrict the shift range: press and
hold the selector lever towards D+until D
D
appears in the display again.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.
X To select the optimum shift range: press
and hold the selector lever to the left
towards D–.
The automatic transmission will shift to a
range which allows easy acceleration and
deceleration. To do this, the automatic
transmission will shift down one or more
gears. Shift ranges
When the selector lever is in position Dyou
can restrict or derestrict the shift range for
the automatic transmission.
X To extend/restrict the shift range: press
the selector lever briefly to the right
towards D+or left towards D–.
The display shows the selected shift range.
The automatic transmission shifts only as
far as the relevant gear.
i If the maximum engine speed for the
restricted shift range is reached and you
depress the accelerator pedal, the auto-
matic transmission will not shift up. Driving situations
0038
Use the braking effect of the engine
on steep downhill gradients and for
driving:
R
on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 0037
Use the braking effect of the engine
on extremely steep downhill gradi-
ents and long downhill stretches. Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R lots of throttle: later upshifts
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
next gear down, depending on the engine
speed.
X Ease off on the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts up again.
Maneuvering Maneuvering in a tight space:
X
Control the vehicle's speed by braking
carefully.
X Depress the accelerator pedal slightly and
evenly.
i You can shift back and forth between
drive position Dand reverse gear Rat low
speeds without applying the brakes. This
can help you, for example when rapidly
maneuvering the vehicle or rocking it out of
snow or slush.
Towing a trailer X
Drive at moderate engine speeds on steep
uphill gradients.
X Depending on the uphill or downhill gradi-
ent, shift down to a shift range adapted to
the driving situation (Y page 146), even if
cruise control is activated. 146
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

X
Apply the parking brake.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away (Y page 151). Wheel chock
Use the wheel chock or a similar object to
prevent the vehicle from rolling away, e.g.
when parking or changing a wheel. Wheel chock in the load/passenger compartment
X
To remove the wheel chock on Cargo
Vans/Passenger Vans: pull restraining
cable 0043down a little and remove it from
retainer 0044.
X Remove the chock.
i When stowing the wheel chock, make
sure that restraining cable 0043is holding it
securely in retainer 0044. Wheel chock to the rear of the chassis on the left
side of the vehicle (example) X
To remove the wheel chock on Cab
Chassis: pull the locking springs down and
remove the wheel chock.
i When stowing the wheel chock, make
sure that it is secured in the retainer with
the locking springs. Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
4 weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
X Disconnect the battery ( Ypage 262) or
switch off the battery main switch
(Y page 136).
Or
X Connect the battery to a trickle charger.
You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
6 weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as a
result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The driver's attention to the road must always
be his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
ommend that you pull over to a safe location
and stop before placing or taking a telephone
call. If you choose to use the telephone while
driving, please use the hands-free device and
only use the telephone when road, weather
and traffic conditions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a mobile phone while driving a vehicle. Driving tips
153Driving 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

The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range
of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the
corresponding turn signal, a double warning
tone sounds once. Red warning lamp 0043
flashes. If the turn signal remains on,
detected vehicles are indicated by the flash-
ing of red warning lamp 0043. There are no fur-
ther warning tones.
Activating/deactivating Blind Spot Assist
i Blind Spot Assist is activated when you
switch on the ignition.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
Warning lamps 0043in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately
1.5 seconds and then turn yellow.
X To deactivate: press the button in
the center console (Y page 37).
The yellow indicator lamp in exterior mir-
ror 0043first flashes and then lights up con-
tinuously. Blind Spot Assist is deactivated.
X To activate: press the button in the
center console again (Y page 37).
The yellow indicator lamp in exterior mir-
ror 0043flashes initially. If you exceed
19 mph (30 km/h) while driving, the yellow
indicator lamp in exterior mirror 0043goes
out. Blind Spot Assist is activated.
Towing a trailer
If you attach a trailer, make sure that you have
correctly established the electrical connec-
tion. This can be accomplished by checking
the trailer lighting. Blind Spot Assist is then
deactivated. The indicator lamp in the exte-
rior mirrors lights up yellow.
On vehicles with steering wheel buttons, the
message: Blind Spot Assist deacti‐
Blind Spot Assist deacti‐ vated vated
also appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
Lane Keeping Assist General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in
front of your vehicle by means of a camera at
the top of the windshield. Lane Keeping Assist
detects lane markings on the road and warns
you before you leave your lane unintention-
ally.
0043
Lane Keeping Assist camera
Lane Keeping Assist supports you from
speeds of approximately 40 mph(60 km/h).
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Lane Keeping Assist may not always clearly
recognize lane markings.
In this case, Lane Keeping Assist may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and stay in lane, in particular if
warned by Lane Keeping Assist. G
WARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There
is a risk of an accident. 166
Driving systemsDriving and parking

0085
Warning display segments
0083 Operational readiness symbol for the rear
area
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensor and the obstacle.
The warning display is divided into five yellow
and two red segments for each side of the
vehicle. PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow
indicator segments 0087and 0083are lit.
There is a malfunction if only the red seg-
ments of the warning display light up
(Y page 171).
The position of the gear lever determines
whether the front and/or rear area is moni-
tored. Selector lever
position Monitoring
D
Front area
R
or N Front and rear area
P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R
sixth segment, an intermittent warning
tone sounds for approximately 2 seconds.
R seventh segment, a continuous warning
tone sounds. This indicates that you have
now reached the minimum distance.
Roll-back warning PARKTRONIC automatically monitors the
area behind the vehicle if the vehicle begins
to roll backwards without reverse gear
engaged, e.g. after stopping on an uphill gra-
dient.
If PARKTRONIC recognizes an obstacle at a
distance of at most 31 in (80 cm), all the seg-
ments in the warning displays light up. A con-
tinuous warning tone also sounds as the vehi-
cle approaches the obstacle and for a further 2 seconds after the vehicle has come to a
halt.
Activating/deactivating PARKTRONIC
X
Press the 0069button.
If PARKTRONIC is deactivated, the indica-
tor lamp in the switch lights up.
Towing a trailer PARKTRONIC detects a coupled trailer if your
vehicle is equipped with the corresponding
electrical installations for trailer towing.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer. If you use
an adapter for the socket, remove it from the
socket after detaching the trailer. Otherwise,
PARKTRONIC remains deactivated for the
rear area.
Remove a detachable trailer coupling if it is
no longer required. PARKTRONIC measures
the minimum detection range to an obstacle
from the bumper, not the ball coupling. 170
Driving systemsDriving and parking

ADR is automatically deactivated if:
R you release the parking brake.
R the brake pedal is depressed.
R the vehicle moves.
R the control unit detects a malfunction.
Setting the working speed X
Activate ADR.
X To increase: press the0091button.
X To decrease: press the0092button. Towing a trailer
Notes on trailer towing
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you install a ball coupling other than the one
delivered with the vehicle, the trailer tow hitch
and the rear axle may be overloaded. This
applies especially if the ball coupling in ques-
tion is longer or angled differently. This could
seriously impair the driving characteristics
and the trailer can come loose. There is a risk
of an accident.
Only install the ball coupling delivered with
the vehicle or a ball coupling that is designed
to meet your trailer towing requirements. Do
not modify the ball coupling or the trailer tow
hitch. G
WARNING
If you use a ball coupling that is not approved
for your vehicle, it may cause excessive strain
on the trailer tow hitch. This can cause dam-
age to the vehicle and the trailer may come
loose during the journey. The handling may be
impaired and the rear axle may be overloaded.
This may lead to an accident involving serious
or even fatal injury.
Therefore note the following:
R Only install a ball coupling that is approved
for your vehicle.
R Before the journey, make sure that the ball
coupling is correctly installed and secured.
To do this, observe the operating instruc-
tions of the ball coupling manufacturer.
R Do not make any modifications to the ball
coupling or the trailer tow hitch.
You must observe the operating instructions
of the trailer tow hitch or ball coupling manu-
facturer. 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
When the vehicle/trailer combination begins
to lurch, you could lose control of it. The vehi-
cle/trailer combination could even rollover.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten up the vehicle/trailer combination
by increasing the speed. Reduce vehicle
speed and do not countersteer. Apply the
brake as necessary. Towing a trailer
173Driving and parking Z