
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

When loading your vehicle for driving off-road
or on a construction site, keep the vehicle's
center of gravity as low as possible.
Checklist before driving off-road X
Check the fuel and DEF levels
(Y page 183) and top up (Y page 150).
X Engine: check the oil level (Y page 252)
and add oil (Y page 254).
Before driving up or down steep gradients,
fill the oil to the maximum level.
i If you drive up or down steep gradients,
the 00B2 symbol may appear in the display.
The engine operating safety is not put at
risk if you have filled the engine oil to the
maximum level before the journey.
X Vehicle tool kit: check that the jack is
working (Y page 276).
X Make sure that a wheel bolt wrench
(Y page 276), wooden underlay for the
jack, a robust tow cable and a folding spade
are carried in the vehicle.
X Wheels and tires: check the tire tread
depth (Y page 287) and tire pressure
(Y page 290).
Rules for driving off-road !
Always bear the vehicle's ground clear-
ance in mind and avoid obstacles, e.g. deep
ruts.
Obstacles may damage the following parts
of the vehicle:
R the chassis
R the drive train
R the fuel and supply tanks
For this reason, you should always drive
slowly when driving off-road. If you have to
drive over obstacles, have the co-driver
direct you.
i We recommend that you additionally
carry a shovel and a recovery rope with
shackle in the vehicle. R
Ensure that loads and items of luggage are
securely stowed or lashed down
(Y page 242).
R Before driving off-road, stop the vehicle and
shift to a low gear.
R If the surface demands it, temporarily deac-
tivate ASR when pulling away (Y page 60).
R Only drive off-road with the engine running
and a gear engaged.
R Drive slowly and smoothly. Walking pace is
necessary in many situations.
R Avoid spinning the drive wheels.
R Make sure that the wheels always remain
in contact with the ground.
R Drive with extreme care over unknown ter-
rain where you can only see for a short dis-
tance. As a precaution, get out of the vehi-
cle to take a look at the route to be taken
in advance.
R Check the water depth before fording.
R Watch out for obstacles (e.g. rocks, holes,
tree stumps and ruts).
R Avoid edges where the surface could crum-
ble or break away.
Checklist after driving off-road !
If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Off-road driving places a higher demand on
your vehicle than normal road operation.
Check your vehicle after driving on rough ter-
rain. By doing so you will notice any damage
in good time and reduce the risk of an acci-
dent for yourself and other road users. Clean
your vehicle thoroughly before driving on pub-
lic roads.
Observe the following points after driving off-
road, on construction sites and before driving
on public roads:
X Activate ASR (Y page 60).
X Clean the headlamps and tail lamps and
check them for damage. 160
Driving tipsDriving and parking

X
Clean the front and rear license plates.
X Clean the windshield, windows and exterior
mirrors.
X Clean the steps, door sills and grab han-
dles.
This increases safety of footing.
X Clean the wheels/tires, wheel housings
and the underbody of the vehicle with a
water jet.
This increases road grip, especially on wet
road surfaces.
X Check the wheels/tires and wheel hous-
ings for trapped foreign objects and
remove them.
Trapped foreign objects can damage the
wheels/tires and may be flung out from the
vehicle when you continue driving.
X Check the underbody for trapped branches
or other parts of plants and remove them.
Trapped branches or other parts of plants
increase the risk of fire and can cause dam-
age to fuel lines, brake hoses and the rub-
ber bellows of axle joints and drive shafts.
X Clean the brake disks, brake pads and axle
joints, particularly after operation in sand,
mud, grit/gravel, water or similarly dirty
conditions.
X Check the entire floor assembly, the tires,
wheels, bodywork structure, brakes, steer-
ing, chassis and exhaust system for any
damage.
X Check the service brake for operating
safety, e.g. carry out a brake test.
X If you notice strong vibrations after driving
off-road, check the wheels and drive train
for foreign objects again. Remove any for-
eign objects which can lead to imbalances
and thus cause vibrations. Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes Observe the notes on braking in the "Driving
tips" section (Y
page 156).
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, cruise control can neither
reduce the risk of an accident nor override the
laws of physics. Cruise control cannot take
road, weather and traffic conditions into
account. Cruise control is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed and for braking in
good time.
Do not use cruise control:
R in traffic conditions that are unsuitable for
driving at a constant speed, e.g. in heavy
traffic, on winding roads or off-road
R on slippery roads. Braking or accelerating
may cause the drive wheels to lose traction
and the vehicle could then skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, make sure that
you inform the new driver about the set cruise
speed.
General notes Cruise control maintains the speed of the
vehicle for you.
Use cruise control if road and traffic condi-
tions make it appropriate to maintain a steady
speed for a prolonged period. You can set any
speed from 20 mph upwards in increments of
1 mph.
Use cruise control if road and traffic condi-
tions make it appropriate to maintain a steady
speed for a prolonged period. You can set any
speed from 20 mph upwards in increments of
1 mph.
i If you have set km/h as the unit for the
digital speedometer ( Ypage 192), you can Driving systems
161Driving and parking Z

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

Instrument lighting
When the lights are switched on, you can
adjust the brightness of the instrument clus-
ter lighting using the 0074and 0075buttons.
X To brighten: press the0074button.
X To dim: press the 0075button.
i Vehicles with automatic headlamp mode:
the instrument lighting also adapts to auto-
matic headlamp mode. Tachometer
! Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine. H
Environmental note
Avoid driving at high engine speeds. This
unnecessarily increases the fuel consumption
of your vehicle and harms the environment as
a result of increased emissions.
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
To protect the engine, the fuel supply is inter-
rupted when the red band is reached. Outside temperature
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around the
freezing point.
On vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Y page 184) and on vehicles with steering
wheel buttons (Y page 189), the outside tem-
perature display is in the display.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay. Speedometer
The speed can also be shown in the display.
You can find information on the digital speed-
ometer for vehicles without steering wheel
buttons under (Y page 184) and for vehicles with steering wheel buttons under
(Y
page 189).
i In some countries, a warning sounds
when the vehicle reaches the maximum
speed limit, e.g. at 75 mph ( 120 km/h). Trip odometer
X To reset: make sure that the display is
showing the trip odometer if you have a
vehicle with steering wheel buttons
(Y page 189).
X Press and hold the 0045reset button until the
trip odometer is reset to 0.0 0.0. Fuel gage
0043
Fuel gage on vehicles without steering
wheel buttons
0044 Fuel gage on vehicles with steering wheel
buttons
0087 Fuel filler flap location indicator 007F: the
fuel filler flap is on the left-hand side. Fuel
filler flap location indicator 0080: the fuel
filler flap is on the right-hand side
0085 Reserve fuel warning lamp (Y page 227) Instrument cluster
183On-board computer and displays Z

DEF gauge
Vehicles without steering wheel but-
tons If the supply of DEF is less than 1.5 US gal
(5.5 l), the 00E2indicator lamp lights up and
the 0099 dEF Chk
dEF Chk display message appears.
If the supply of DEF falls below the reserve
range of 0.8 US gal (3.0 l), the 00E2indicator
lamp lights up and the 0099StArtS RExx
StArtS RExx
display message appears. In the display, xx
xx
corresponds to the number of possible
remaining engine starts (16 16to0
0).
Further information on DEF consumption can
be found in the "Service products and filling
capacity" section (Y page 324).
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons If the supply of DEF is less than 1.5 US gal
(5.5 l), the Check Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Check Diesel Exhaust Fluid
See
See Operator's
Operator's Manual
Manualmessage is shown
in the display.
If the supply of DEF falls below the reserve
range of 0.8 US gal (3.0 l), the 00E2xx
xx
starts remaining starts remaining message is displayed. In
the display, xx
xxcorresponds to the number of
possible remaining engine starts ( 16
16to0
0).
Further information on DEF consumption can
be found in the "Service products and filling
capacity" section (Y page 324).On-board computer (vehicles without
steering wheel buttons) Operating the on-board computer
General notes The on-board computer is activated as soon
as you turn the key to position 1in the ignition
lock.
The on-board computer shows vehicle infor-
mation and settings in the display. You can control the display and the settings
in the on-board computer using the adjust-
ment buttons on the instrument cluster.
Standard display
0043
Odometer
0044 Trip odometer
0087 Clock
0085 Outside temperature or digital speedom-
eter
0083 Fuel gage (Y page 183)
0084 Selector lever position or current shift
range with automatic transmission
(Ypage 144)
X To call up the standard display: turn the
key to position 2in the ignition lock.
X Press the 0079menu button for longer than
one second.
The information shown in the display
changes from the outside temperature to
the digital speedometer. Menus in the on-board computer
Overview If you wish to exit a menu and go to the stand-
ard display:
X
Press the 0079menu button for longer than
1 second.
Or
X Do not press any button for 10 seconds.
The display accepts the changed settings. 184
On-boa
rdcompu ter (vehicles without steering wheel buttons)On-board computer and displays

X
Press the 0063button to select the Key
Key
function.
The selection marker is on the current set-
ting.
X Press the 0081or0082 button to activate
or deactivate key dependency. Trip computer menu
General notes You can call up or reset statistical data for the
vehicle in the Trip computer menu.
i When you call up the trip computer again,
it displays the last function called up.
The units of the statistical information dis-
played are set permanently for each spe-
cific country, and are therefore independ-
ent of the units selected in the Settings
Settings
menu.
Trip computer "After start" or "After
reset" Example: "After start" trip computer
0043
Distance
0044 Time
0087 Average speed
0085 Average fuel consumption
Using the steering wheel buttons
X Press the 0080or007F button to select
After start
After start.
Or
X Press the 0041or0068 button to select
After reset After reset.
The values in the After start
After startsubmenu
refer to the start of the journey. The values in the
After reset
After reset submenu are calculated
from the last time the trip computer was
reset.
The After start After start trip computer function is
automatically reset if:
R the ignition has been switched off for more
than four hours.
R 999 hours have been exceeded.
R 9,999 miles have been exceeded.
The After reset
After reset trip computer is automati-
cally reset if the value exceeds 9,999 hours
or 99,999 miles.
i If you turn the key to position 0in the
ignition lock or remove it, all the values are
reset after approximately four hours.
The values will not be reset if you turn the
key back to position 1or 2during this time.
Calling up the range Using the steering wheel buttons
X
Press the 0080or007F button to select
After start After start.
X Select Range
Rangeusing the 0041or0068 but-
ton.
The approximate distance which can be
covered with the tank's current contents
and your current style of driving is shown.
i If there is only a small amount of fuel left
in the fuel tank, the 00B5Please refuelPlease refuel
message is shown instead of the range.
Resetting the trip computer Using the steering wheel buttons
X
Press the 0080or007F button to select
After start After start.
X Press the 0041or0068 button to select the
function you would like to reset.
X Press and hold the 0045reset button until the
values are reset to "0". On-board computer (vehicles with steering wheel buttons)
197On-board computer and displays Z

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions 0099
dEF Chk dEF Chk In addition, the yellow
00E2DEF indicator lamp lights up and a
warning tone sounds.
The DEF supply has dropped below 1.5 US gal (5.5 l).
After the message appears for the first time, and under normal
driving conditions, the remaining DEF supply will last for approx-
imately 1000 miles (1600 km).
After that, the 0.8 US gal (3.0 l) reserve mark is reached. A warning
tone sequence sounds and the engine can then only be started
another 16 times.
X add DEF supply (Y page 149).
The 00E2 DEF indicator lamp disappears after no more than
20 seconds after the vehicle has stopped or you have switched
on the ignition or started the engine after refueling. 0099
StArtS RExx StArtS RExx In addition, the yellow
00B9Check Engine indicator lamp and the
yellow 00E2DEF indicator lamp light up and a warning tone
sounds. A warning tone sequence sounds.
After the message appears for the first time, the engine can only
be started another 16 times.
The number of remaining engine starts XX XX(1616 to0
0) is shown in the
message every time the engine is started. When the number of
remaining engine starts is 0 0the engine management prevents the
vehicle being driven at a speed exceeding 5 mph (8 km/h). The
Idle Mode Idle Mode message appears in the multifunction display: The DEF reducing agent is contaminated, diluted or is not compli-
ant with ISO 22241.
X
Have the DEF tank cleaned and refilled at a qualified specialist
workshop as soon as possible. The exhaust gas aftertreatment is malfunctioning or an emission
relevant malfunction has occurred. This malfunction or defect can
damage the exhaust gas aftertreatment.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. Display
messages
203On-board computer and displays Z