2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER service

Rswitch off the electrical system using the bat-
tery main switch (Ypage 118) and
Rdisconnect the vehicle's auxiliary battery
Otherwise, you need to check the battery's con- dition of charge every three weeks, since
standby power consumption can drain the bat-
tery. If the battery voltage is lower than 12.2 V,
the battery must be charged. Otherwise, the
battery may be damaged by exhaustive dis-
charging.
Be sure to observe the notes on disconnecting
and charging the batteries under "Battery"
(
Ypage 227). 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. In this event, consult a
qualified specialist workshop.
Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle covers
a distance of 44 feet (approximately 14 m)
ever yse cond.
GWARNING
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.
!Always observe the ground clearance of the
vehicle and avoid obstacles. On vehicles with a step, ground clearance is further restricted.
Obstacles can damage the vehicle.
If you must drive over obstacles, drive espe-
cially slowly and carefully. If necessary, have
another person direct you.
Drive sensibly – save fuel
In order to save fuel, observe the following tips:
XThe tires should always be inflated to the rec-
ommended tire pressure.
XRemove unnecessary loads.
XRemove roof carriers when they are not nee-
ded.
XWarm up the engine at low engine speeds.
XAvoid frequent acceleration or braking.
XHave all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the Main-
tenance Booklet or by the service interval dis-
play.
Fuel consumption also increases when driving in cold weather, in stop-start traffic and in moun-
tainous terrain.
Overrun cutoff
If you are in overrun mode and take your foot off
the accelerator pedal, the fuel supply is cut off
when the engine speed is out of the idle speed
control range.
Drinking and driving
GWARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent are greatly increased when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Driving tips133
Driving and parking
Z

Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or tak-ing drugs.
Emission control
GWARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous substances in exhaust
fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work optimally if they are
maintained exactly in accordance with the man-
ufacturer's specifications. Any work on the
engine should therefore be carried out by quali-
fied and authorized technicians at a Sprinter
dealer.
The engine settings must not be changed under any circumstances. In addition, all specific
maintenance work must be carried out at regu-
lar intervals and in accordance with the service
requirements of the dealer listed 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 or is stationary for long
periods, this could lead to a malfunction in the automatic cleaning function for the diesel par-
ticle filter. This can lead to blockage of the
diesel particle filter. This can also result in fuel
collecting in the engine oil and cause engine
failure.
Therefore, if you mainly drive short distances,
drive on a highway or an inter-urban road for
20 minute severy 300 miles (500 km). This facil-
itates the diesel particle filter's burn-off proc-
ess.
Speed limiter
GWARNING
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 max-
imum speed of the vehicle and the resulting per-
missible 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 (
Ypage 250).
You can permanently limit the maximum speed
of your vehicle to 65 mph (105 km/h) or 75 mph (120 km/h).
We recommend that you have the maximum
speed programmed by an authorized Sprinter
dealer.
Before overtaking, take into consideration that
the engine speed limiter prevents the speed
increasing beyond the programmed maximum
speed.
Driving 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 available. 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. Infor-
mation on fuel (
Ypage 277).
134Driving tips
Driving and parking

Low-beam headlamps
If you are traveling in countries where vehicles
are driven on the opposite side of the road to
that in which the vehicle is registered, you will
need to:
Rhave the halogen headlamps partially masked
Rhave the Bi-Xenon headlamps set to symmet-
rical 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 possible.
When you return from your journey, and as close
to the border as possible, you will need to:
Rremove the adhesive surfaces from your hal-
ogen headlamps and clean the glass of the
headlamps if necessary
Rhave the Bi-Xenon headlamps reset to asym-
metrical low beam at a qualified specialist
workshop
Transport by rail
Transporting your vehicle by rail may be subject
to certain restrictions or require special meas-
ures to be taken in some countries due to vary- ing tunnel heights and loading standards.
You can obtain further information from any
authorized Sprinter dealer.
Brakes
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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.
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 2or1 in
good time. This should be observed in particular
when driving with a laden vehicle and when tow-
ing a trailer.
iYou 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
GWARNING
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.
Driving tips135
Driving and parking
Z

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 vehicle in
front.
While paying attention to the traffic conditions,
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.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
When driving on salted roads, salt may start to
build up on the brake disks and brake pads. Thiscan increase braking distances considerably.
Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle in
front.
To remove any build-up of salt that may have
formed:
XApply the brakes at the start of the journey,
occasionally during journey and at the end of
the journey. Make sure that you do not endan-
ger other road users when doing so.
New brake discs and brake pads/
linings
New brake pads and brake discs only reach their
optimal braking effect after a few
100 kilometers. Until then, compensate for this by applying greater force to the brake pedal.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends only installing the following brake discs
and brake pads/linings:
Rbrake discs that have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz
Rbrake pads/linings that have been approved
by Mercedes-Benz or are of an equivalent
standard of quality
Other brake discs or brake pads/linings can
compromise the safety of your vehicle.
Always replace all brake discs and brake pads/
linings on an axle at the same time. Always
install new brake pads/linings when replacing
brake discs.
Parking brake
GWARNING
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.
When driving on wet roads or dirt-covered sur-
faces, road salt and/or dirt may get into the
parking brake. This causes corrosion and a
reduction of braking force.
In order to prevent this, drive with the parking
brake lightly applied from time to time. When
doing so, drive for a distance of approximately
110 yds (100 m) at a maximum speed of 12 mph
(20 km/h).
The brake lamps are not illuminated when you
brake the vehicle using the parking brake.
Driving in wet conditions
Hydroplaning
GWARNING
There is a danger of hydroplaning occurring,
even if you are driving slowly and your tires
have sufficient tread depth, depending on the
depth of water on the road. There is a risk of
an accident.
For this reason, avoid tire ruts and brake care-
fully.
Therefore, in heavy rain or other conditions in
which hydroplaning can occur, drive as follows:
Rreduce your speed
Ravoid tire ruts
Rapply the brakes with care
Driving on flooded roads
!Do not drive through flooded areas. Check
the depth of any water before driving through
it. Drive slowly through standing water. Oth-
136Driving tips
Driving and parking

could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is arisk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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 surfa-
ces, check the underside of the vehicle and
the wheels and tires at regular intervals. In
particular, remove any trapped foreign
objects, e.g. stones and branches.
Such foreign objects may:
Rdamage the chassis, the fuel tank or the
brake system
Rcause imbalances and thus vibrations
Rbe flung out when you continue driving
If there is any damage, inform a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. When driving off-road and on construction sites,
sand, mud and water mixed with oil, for exam-
ple, 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
quali
fied specialist workshop. Adjust your
driving style to the changed braking character-
istics.
Driving off-road or on construction sites increa-
ses 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 spe-
cialist 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 vehi-
cle with the service brake. If your vehicle cannot
manage an uphill slope, drive back down the
slope in reverse gear.
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
XCheck the fuel and DEF levels (Ypage 162)
and top up (Ypage 129).
XEngine: check the oil level (Ypage 220) and
add oil (Ypage 222).
Before driving up or down steep gradients, fill
the oil to the maximum level.
iIf you drive up or down steep gradients, the
4 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.
XVehicle tool kit: check that the jack is work-
ing (Ypage 240).
XMake sure that a lug wrench (Ypage 240),
wooden underlay for the jack, a robust tow
cable and a folding spade are carried in the
vehicle.
XWheels and tires: check the tire tread depth
(Ypage 248) and tire pressure
(Ypage 250).
138Driving tips
Driving and parking

Rules for driving off-road
!Always bear the vehicle's ground clearance
in mind and avoid obstacles, e.g. deep ruts.
Obstacles may damage the following parts of
the vehicle:
Rthe chassis
Rthe drive train
Rthe 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 front
passenger direct you.
iWe recommend that you additionally carry a
shovel and a recovery rope with shackle in the
vehicle.
REnsure that loads and items of luggage are
securely stowed or lashed down
(
Ypage 212).
RBefore driving off-road, stop the vehicle and
shift to a low gear.
RIf the surface demands it, temporarily deacti-
vate ASR when pulling away (Ypage 53).
ROnly drive off-road with the engine running
and a gear engaged.
RDrive slowly and smoothly. Walking pace is
necessary in many situations.
RAvoid spinning the drive wheels.
RMake sure that the wheels always remain in
contact with the ground.
RDrive with extreme care over unknown terrain
where you can only see for a short distance.
As a precaution, get out of the vehicle to take
a look at the route to be taken in advance.
RCheck the water depth before fording.
RWatch out for obstacles (e.g. rocks, holes,
tree stumps and ruts).
RAvoid edges where the surface could crumble
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 terrain. By doing
so you will notice any damage in good time and reduce the risk of an accident for yourself and
other road users. Clean your vehicle thoroughly
before driving on public roads.
Observe the following points after driving off-
road, on construction sites and before driving on
public roads:
XVehicles with all-wheel drive:
deactivate
all-wheel drive (Ypage 148).
XActivate ASR (Ypage 53).
XClean the headlamps and tail lamps and
check them for damage.
XClean the front and rear license plates.
XClean the windshield, windows and exterior
mirrors.
XClean the steps, door sills and grab handles.
This increases safety of footing.
XClean the wheels and tires, wheel arches and
the underbody of the vehicle with a water jet.
This increases road grip, especially on wet
road surfaces.
XCheck the wheels and tires and wheel arches
for trapped foreign objects and remove them.
Trapped foreign objects can damage the
wheels and tires or may be fl
ung out from the
vehicle when you continue driving.
XCheck 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 rubber
bellows of axle joints and drive shafts.
XClean the brake disks, brake pads and axle
joints, particularly after operation in sand,
mud, grit and gravel, water or similarly dirty
conditions.
XCheck the entire floor assembly, the tires,
wheels, bodywork structure, brakes, steering,
chassis and exhaust system for any damage.
XCheck the service brake for operating safety,
e.g. carry out a brake test.
XIf you notice strong vibrations after driving off-
road, check the wheels and drive train for for-
eign objects again. Remove any foreign
objects which can lead to imbalances and
thus cause vibrations.
Driving tips139
Driving and parking
Z

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 possi-
ble. Note that your vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the described functions. This also
applies to systems and functions relevant to
safety.
Read the information on qualified specialist
workshops (
Ypage 26).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you are driving and reach through the steer- ing wheel to operate the adjustment knob,
you could lose control of the vehicle. There is
a risk of an accident and injury.
Only operate the adjustment knobs when thevehicle is stationary. Do not reach through the
steering wheel when driving.
GWARNING
If you operate information systems and com-
munication equipment integrated in the vehi-
cle while driving, you will be distracted from
traffic conditions. You could also lose control
of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate the equipment when the traffic
situation permits. If you are not sure that this
is possible, park the vehicle paying attention
to traffic conditions and operate the equip-
ment when the vehicle is stationary.
GWARNING
If the instrument cluster has failed or mal-
functioned, you may not recognize function
restrictions in systems relevant to safety. The
operating safety of your vehicle may be
impaired. There is a risk of an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have the vehicle checked
at a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. You must observe the legal requirements for the
country in which you are currently driving when
operating the on-board computer.
The on-board computer display only shows mes-
sages and warnings from certain systems. You
should therefore make sure your vehicle is oper-
ating safely at all times. If the operating safety of
your vehicle is impaired, stop the vehicle as
soon as possible, paying attention to road and
traffic conditions. Then consult a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Instrument cluster
Overview
:Instrument cluster on vehicles without
steering wheel buttons
;Instrument cluster in vehicles with steering-
wheel buttons
=Adjustment buttons fand g
?Reset button 9
AService button Ë(engine oil level check)
BMenu button 4
You will find a full overview of the instrument
cluster in the "At a glance" section (
Ypage 32).
The display in the instrument cluster is activated when you:
Ropen the driver's door
Rturn the key to position 2in the ignition lock
Rpress the 9reset button
Rswitch on the lights
Instrument cluster161
On-board computer and displays
Z

Using thef,g,4or9 adjustment buttons,
you can select the following functions:
RCalling up the service due date
(Ypage 226)
RChecking the oil level (Ypage 220)
RChecking the DEF supply (Ypage 162)
RPreselecting/setting the auxiliary heating
switch-on time (Ypage 108)
RTire pressure monitor (Ypage 253)
RSetting the time (Ypage 164)
RActivating/deactivating Highbeam Assist
(Ypage 171)
RSetting the daytime running lamps
(Ypage 79)
Setting the time
XTurn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
XPress the 4menu button repeatedly until the
hours figure flashes.
XPress the forg button to set the hour.
XPress the 9reset button.
The minute display flashes.
XPress the forg button to set the minute.
iIf you keep the forg button pressed, the
value will change continuously.
Activating/deactivating Highbeam
Assist
XTurn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
XPress the 4menu button repeatedly until the
_ indicator lamp flashes and the onorOFFmessage appears in the display.
XUse the forg button to switch Highbeam
Assist on/off.
Switching the daytime running lamps
on/off
If you switch the daytime running lamps on, the
daytime running lamps will automatically light
up when the engine is running.
For safety reasons, it is only possible to change
this setting when the vehicle is stationary. The
factory setting is on
in countries in which day-
time running lamp mode or daytime running
lamps are mandatory.
XTurn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
XPress the 4menu button repeatedly until the
L indicator lamp flashes and the onorOFFmessage appears in the display.
XPress the forg button to activate or deac-
tivate the daytime running lamps.
iUSA only:
If you turn the light switch to TorL,
the corresponding light switches on. If you
turn the light switch to Ã, the daytime
running lamps remain switched on.
Canada only:
If you turn the light switch to L, the low-
beam headlamps switch on. If you turn the
light switch to TorÃ, the daytime run-
ning lamps remain switched on.
On-board computer (vehicles with
steering wheel buttons)
Operating the on-board computer
Overview
XTo activate the on-board computer: turn
the key to position 1in the ignition lock.
The on-board computer shows vehicle informa-
tion and settings in the display.
You can control the display and the settings in
the on-board computer with the buttons on the
steering wheel.
164On-board computer (vehicles with steering wheel buttons)
On-board computer and displays