2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER transmission

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions The engine does not
start.
The starter motor can-
not be heard. The on-board voltage is too low. The battery is too weak or dis-
charged.
X
Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 278).
If the engine cannot be jump-started, the starter motor is faulty.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start.
The starter motor can-
not be heard. The battery is discharged or faulty.
X
Check the battery for damage.
X Charge the battery (Y page 266).Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor
R, the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
may roll only briefly in the neutral position
N. Prolonged rolling of the wheels, e.g.
when being towed, will result in transmis-
sion damage. Selector lever
005D
Park position with parking lock
005E Reverse gear
005C Neutral
005B Drive
The display in the instrument cluster shows
the present selector lever position or the cur-
rent shift range:
R on vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Y page 189)
R on vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Y page 184) 144
Automatic transmissionDriving 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

Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions The transmission mal-
functions when shifting
gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X
Have the transmission checked immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. The acceleration char-
acteristics have deter-
iorated noticeably.
The transmission does
not shift. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into second gear or reverse gear
R.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Move the selector lever to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least 10 seconds before restarting the engine.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Move the selector lever to position Dor R.
In position D, the transmission shifts into second gear; in posi-
tion R, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Releasing the parking lock manually
In the event of a malfunction, it is possible to
manually release the selector lever from the
lock in parking position P, e.g. to have the
vehicle towed away. X
Apply the parking brake.
X Remove cover 0043. X
Slide implement 0044as far as it will go into
the opening.
X Push the implement in and simultaneously
move the selector lever out of position P.
The selector lever lock is released. You can
now move the selector lever freely again
until it is returned to position P.
X Remove implement 0044.
X Re-install cover 0043. Automatic transmission
147Driving and parking Z

Make sure that tool
0083remains in tank filler
cap 0044while doing so.
X Only fill up the DEF tank until the DEF level
is visible for the first time in the filler neck.
X Replace blue tank filler cap 0044and turn
clockwise.
X Pull tool 0083out of tank filler cap 0044and
stow with the vehicle tool kit in the footwell
on the co-driver's side.
X Pull cover 0085up over hole 0087of tank filler
cap 0044, turn and release.
X Turn blue tank filler cap 0044.
If tank filler cap 0044turns freely, the DEF
tank is closed. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-
cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
R start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
! A moving vehicle can lead to damage to
the vehicle or damage to the drive train.
! When the vehicle is parked, always
remove the key to prevent the battery from
becoming discharged.
On vehicles with a battery isolating switch,
switch off the power supply if the vehicle is
to be out of use for a longer period of time.
Always park your vehicle safely and according
to legal requirements and secure it against
rolling away.
To ensure that the vehicle is properly secured
against rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be firmly applied
R the selector lever must be in position Pand
the key must be removed from the ignition
lock
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, the
front wheels must be turned towards the
curb
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, the
vehicle must be secured at the rear axle,
e.g. with a wheel chock or similar object
Use the wheel chock (Y page 153) to do so. Parking
151Driving and parking Z

Parking brake
G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
R start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi-
cle when the service brake is faulty. Do not
apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again. The brake lamps are not illuminated when you
brake the vehicle using the parking brake.
As a rule, you may only apply the parking
brake when the vehicle is stationary. X
To apply the parking brake: pull brake
lever 0043up as far as the last possible
detent.
The 0066 warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
i On vehicles with a folding brake lever, you
can then press lever 0043down to the stop.
X To release the parking brake: on vehicles
with a folding brake lever, first pull brake
lever 0043up to the stop.
X Raise brake lever 0043slightly and press
release knob 0044.
X Guide brake lever 0043down to the stop.
The 0066 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Exceptionally, if the service brake fails, the
parking brake can be used to brake the vehi-
cle in an emergency.
X Emergency braking: press and hold
release button 0044and carefully apply brake
lever 0043. Switching off the engine
G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of
an accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
! If the coolant temperature is very high,
e.g. after driving on hilly roads, leave the
engine running at idle speed for about
two minutes before turning it off.
This allows the coolant temperature to
return to normal.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P. 152
ParkingDriving and parking

engine's air suction nozzles and this can
cause engine damage.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the water level of standing water should not
be above the lower edge of the front
bumper
R do not drive faster than walking speed Driving in winter
General 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. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open
a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop in good time at the onset
of winter.
i Do not cover the radiator, e.g. with a win-
ter cover. The measurements of the on-
board diagnostic system may otherwise
return inaccurate values. Some of these values are legally prescribed and must
therefore always be exact.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 288).
Driving with summer tires Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y
page 288).
Slippery road surfaces 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. G
WARNING
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
may roll only briefly in the neutral position
N. Prolonged rolling of the wheels, e.g.
when being towed, will result in transmis-
sion damage.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the transmission to neutral position
N.
X Try to maintain control of the vehicle using
corrective steering.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery roads.
Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise
control. 158
Driving tipsDriving and parking

You can find further information on winter
tires and snow chains in the "Wheels and
tires" section (Y page 288). Driving off-road
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle. G
WARNING
When driving off-road, your body is subject to
forces from all directions, due to the uneven
surface. You could be thrown from your seat,
for instance. There is a risk of injury.
Always wear a seat belt, even when driving off-
road. G
WARNING
If you drive over obstacles or in ruts, the steer-
ing wheel may jerk out of your grip, causing
injury to your hands.
Always hold the steering wheel firmly with
both hands. When driving over obstacles, you
must expect steering forces to increase
briefly and suddenly. G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system. There is a
risk of fire.
When driving off road or on unpaved roads,
check the vehicle's underside regularly. In
particular, remove parts of plants or other
flammable materials which have become
trapped. In the case of damage, contact a
qualified specialist workshop. !
When driving off-road or on unpaved sur-
faces, check the underside of the vehicle
and the wheels and tires at regular inter-
vals. In particular, remove any trapped for-
eign objects, e.g. stones and branches.
Such foreign objects may:
R damage the chassis, the fuel tank or the
brake system
R cause imbalances and thus vibrations
R be flung out when you continue driving
If there is any damage, inform a qualified
specialist workshop.
! If there are steep gradients while driving
off-road, a sufficient filling level in the DEF
tank must be ensured. Make sure for this
reason that there is a minimum fill level of
ten liters before driving off-road.
When driving off-road and on construction
sites, sand, mud and water mixed with oil, for
example, may get into the brakes. This may
lead to a reduction in braking performance or
total brake failure, also as a result of
increased wear. The braking characteristics
will vary depending on the material that has
got into the system. Clean the brakes after
driving off-road. If you then notice reduced
braking performance or hear scraping noises,
have the brake system checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Adjust your driving style
to the changed braking characteristics.
Driving off-road or on construction sites
increases the possibility of vehicle damage
which may in turn lead to the failure of certain
assemblies and systems. Adapt your driving
style to the off-road driving conditions. Drive
carefully. Have any vehicle damage rectified
at a qualified specialist workshop as soon as
possible.
When driving on rough terrain, do not shift the
transmission into the neutral position. You
could lose control when attempting to brake
the vehicle with the service brake. If your
vehicle cannot manage an uphill slope, drive
back down the slope in reverse gear. Driving tips
159Driving and parking Z