Setting the side air vents
Side air vent (example: right-hand side of the vehi-
cle)
XTo open:turn thumbwheel =of side air
vents :upward.
XTo close: turn thumbwheel =of side air
vents :downward.
iIf the ® symbol can be seen on thumb-
wheel =, defroster vent ;is open.
Adjusting air vents for the passenger
compartment
Air vents (example: right-hand side of the vehicle)
You can use the air vents to ventilate the vehicle
interior on the left and right, in the rear and the
headroom.
XTo open: for the right-hand side of the vehi-
cle, turn thumbwheel ;to the left or for the
left-hand side of the vehicle, thumbwheel :
to the right.
XTo close: for the right-hand side of the vehi-
cle, turn thumbwheel ;to the right or for the
left-hand side of the vehicle, thumbwheel :
to the left.
Adjusting the air vents in the roof duct
!
Always leave at least one air vent open.
If the rear-compartment air conditioning is
switched on and all the air vents are closed,
the air-conditioning system may be damaged.
On vehicles with rear-compartment air condi-
tioning, adjustable air vents are integrated into
the roof duct.
XTo adjust the airflow: open or close the air
flap in air vents :as needed.
XTo adjust the air distribution: turn air
vent :to the desired position.
Operating the auxiliary heating sys-
tem
Important safety notes
GDANGER
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, for example in
enclosed spaces or if the vehicle gets stuck in
snow. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Switch the auxiliary heating off in enclosed
spaces without extraction systems, e.g. in
garages. If the vehicle is stuck in snow and
you have to leave the auxiliary heating run-
ning, keep the exhaust pipe and the area
around the vehicle free of snow. To ensure anadequate supply of fresh air, open a window
on the side of the vehicle that is not facing into
the wind.
106Operating the auxiliary heating system
Climate control
tery isolating switch. You could otherwise
damage electrical system components.
You can use the battery isolating switch to dis-
connect the power supply to all your vehicle's
consumers. This will prevent uncontrolled bat-
tery discharge caused by off-load current con-
sumption.
If your vehicle is equipped with an auxiliary bat-
tery in the engine compartment, you will need to
disconnect both batteries. Only then is the elec-
trical system fully disconnected from the power
supply.
iOnly switch the vehicle to de-energized
using the battery main switch if:
Rthe vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
Rit is absolutely necessary
After the power supply has been activated,
you will need to reset the side windows
(
Ypage 71).
Switching off the power supply
!When you clamp the connector under the
accelerator pedal, make sure that the con-
nector does not become damaged or dirty. It
may otherwise not be possible to restore the
electrical connection when the parts are reas-
sembled.
Battery main switch to the left of the center con-
sole
XRemove the key from the ignition lock and
wait for about 20 second s.
XPressbu tton ;in the direction of the arrow
and hold.
XPull connector :from the earth pin.
XPush connector :as far to the side as pos-
sible so that it cannot make contact with the
earth pin.
All starter battery consumers are disconnec-
ted from the power supply.
Switching on the power supply
XInsert the key into the ignition lock.
XPress connector :onto earth pin ;until
you feel it engage and the lock inhibitor is
released.
Connector :must be in full contact with
earth pin ;.
All consumers are reconnected to the DC
power supply.
Key positions
gTo insert and remove the key, lock the steer-
ing wheel
1To unlock the steering wheel, power supply
for some consumers (e.g. the radio)
2To switch on the ignition. Power supply for
all consumers, preglow and drive position
3To start the engine
Driving119
Dr iving an d parking
Z
erwise, water may enter the vehicle interior or
the engine compartment. This can damage
the electronic components in the engine or
the automatic transmission. Water can also
be drawn in by the 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:
Rthe water level of standing water should not
be above the lower edge of the front bumper
Rdo not drive faster than walking speed
Driving in winter
General 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.
GDANGER
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.
iDo not cover the radiator, e.g. with a winter
cover. The measurements of the on-board
diagnostic system may otherwise return inac-
curate values. Some of these values are
legally prescribed and must therefore always
be exact. Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (
Ypage 249).
Slippery road surfaces
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
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. Pro-
longed rolling of the wheels, e.g. when being
towed, will result in transmission damage.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to neutral position N.
XTry 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.
You can find further information on winter tires
and snow chains in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (
Ypage 249).
Driving off-road
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
Driving tips137
Driving and parking
Z
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
Most federal states and all Canadian provinces
require by law:
Rsafety chains between the towing vehicle andthe trailer. The chains should be cross-wound
under the trailer drawbar. They must be fas-
tened to the vehicle's trailer coupling, not to
the bumper or the axle.
Leave enough slack in the chains. This allows you to drive round tight corners.
Ra separate brake system for certain types of
trailer.
Ra safety shut-off for braked trailers. Find out
the specific requirements according to the
applicable laws.
If the trailer becomes detached from the tow-
ing vehicle, the safety feature applies the
trailer brakes.
Towing a trailer
There are numerous legal requirements con-
cerning the towing of a trailer, e.g. speed restric-tions. Make sure your vehicle/trailer combina-
tion complies with local laws. This not only
means where you live, but also anywhere you
are driving to. Information is available from the
police and local authorities.
Observe the following when towing a trailer:
RPractice driving around bends, stopping and
backing up at a place where there is no traffic.
This enables you to gain experience and get
used to the new handling characteristics.
RBefore driving, check:
-that the trailer tow hitch and ball coupling
are secure
-that the safety switch for a braked trailer is
functioning properly
-that the safety chains are secure and not
damaged
-that the electrical connections are secure
-that the lights are working
-that the wheels are in good order and the
tire pressure is correct
RAdjust the exterior mirrors to provide an
unobstructed view of the rear section of the
trailer.
RIf the trailer has electronically controlled
brakes, pull the vehicle/trailer combination
away carefully. Brake manually using the
brake controller and check that the brakes
are working.
RSecure the load on the trailer according to the
applicable specifications and current stand-
ards on securing loads (
Ypage 214).
RWhen driving with a trailer, check at regular
intervals that the load is secured and that the
brakes and lights are working.
RBear in mind that the handling will be less
stable when towing a trailer than when driving
without one. Avoid sudden steering move-
ments.
RThe vehicle/trailer combination is heavier,
accelerates more slowly and has a decreased
gradient climbing capability and a longer
braking distance.
It is more susceptible to crosswinds and
requires cautious steering.
RIf possible, do not brake suddenly, but rather
moderately at first so that the trailer can acti-
vate its brakes. Then increase the force on the
brake pedal.
RIf the automatic transmission repeatedly
shifts between gears when driving on inclines,
restrict the shift range. Select shift range 4,3,
2 or 1.
Driving in a low gear and at a low speed
reduces the risk of damaging the engine.
RWhen driving on a downhill gradient, shift to a
low gear and take advantage of the engine's
braking effect.
Avoid continuous brake application as this
may overheat the vehicle brakes and, if inst
al-
led, the trailer brakes.
RIf the coolant temperature increases dramat-
ically while the air-conditioning system is
switched on, switch off the air-conditioning
system.
Coolant heat can also be dissipated by
switching the airflow and the temperature of
the heater/air conditioning to the maximum
level. Open the windows if necessary.
RWhen overtaking, pay particular attention to
the extended length of your vehicle/trailer
combination.
Due to the length of your vehicle/trailer com- bination you need an additional distance
before you can return to your original lane.
158Towing a trailer
Driving and parking
Reconnecting the starter battery
!Always connect the battery in the order
described below. Never swap the terminal
clamps. You may otherwise damage the vehi-
cle electronics.
XFold the positive terminal clamp with the pre-
fuse box down to the terminal.
XConnect the positive terminal clamp.
XAttach the cover to the positive terminal.
XConnect the negative terminal clamp.
XPosition battery cover :so that screws ;
are positioned over the large recesses.
XSlide battery cover :in the direction of
travel into the smaller recesses.
XTighten screws ;.
XInstall the floor covering (Ypage 228).
Carry out the following work after connecting
the battery:
XReset the side windows (Ypage 71).
Removing/installing the starter bat-
tery
Removing the starter battery
XDisconnect the battery (Ypage 229).
XPull breather hose with connector bracket ;
from connection :on the degassing cover.
XLoosen the bolts holding retainer =, which
prevents the battery from moving around.
XPull retainer =upwards.
XSlide the battery from its anchorage in the
direction of travel.
XFold the bar of the battery upwards and
remove the battery from the battery case.
Installing the starter battery
XInsert the battery into the battery case.
XFold down the bar of the battery.
XSlide the battery into its anchorage in the
opposite direction to the direction of travel.
XInsert retainer =.
XTighten the bolts on retainer =which holds
the battery in place.
XAttach breather hose with connector
bracket ;to connection :of the ventilation
cover.
XConnect the battery (Ypage 229).
230Battery
Maintenance and care
Disconnecting andconnecting th e
additiona lbatter y(engine compart -
ment )
Important safet ynotes
GWARNING
Durin gth echargin gprocess, abattery produ-
ce shydroge ngas .If ashort circuit occur sor
sparks are created, th ehydroge ngas can
ignite. There is aris kof an explosion .
RMakesur ethat th epositive terminal of a
connecte dbattery doe sno tcome into con-
tact wit hvehicle parts .
RNever placemetal objects or tools on abat -
tery.
RIt is important that you observ eth edescri-
bed order of th ebattery terminals when
connecting and disconnecting abattery.
RWhe njump-starting, mak esur ethat th e
battery pole swit hidentical polarit yare
connected.
RIt is particularly important to observ eth e
described order when connecting and dis -
connecting th ejumpe rcables .
RNever connec tor disconnec tth ebattery
terminals whil eth eengin eis running .
Disconnecting th eadditiona lbatter y
!Switchof fth eengin eand remov eth eke y
from th eignition lock. Firstly remov eth ebat -
tery terminals. Otherwise ,you could destroy
electronic component ssuc has th ealterna-
tor.
Always disconnec tth estarter battery in th e
battery cas ein th eleft-han dsid efootwell
first .
!Always disconnec tth ebattery in th eorder
described below. Never swap th eterminal
clamps. You may otherwise damage th evehi-
cl e electronics.
Additional battery in th eengin ecompartmen t
XSwitchof fall electrical consumers .
XSwitchof fth eengin eand remov eth eke y
from th eignition lock.
XOpe nth ehoo d (Ypage 218).
XFirst loosen and remov eth enegative terminal
clamp so that it is no longer in contact wit h
th eterminal.
XRemov eth ecover from th epositive terminal.
XLoosen and remov eth epositive terminal
clamp .
Connecting th eadditiona lbatter y
!Always connec tth ebattery in th eorder
described below. Never swap th eterminal
clamps. You may otherwise damage th evehi-
cl e electronics.
XConnect th epositive terminal clamp .
XAttach thecover to th epositive terminal.
XConnect th enegative terminal clamp .
XCloseth ehood.
Carr yout th efollowin gwor kafter connecting
th ebattery:
XRese tth esid ewindows (Ypage 71).
Installing an dremovin gth eadditiona l
batter y(engine compartment )
Removin gth eadditiona lbatter y
XDisconnect th ebattery (Ypage 231).
XLoosen th ebolt sholdin gth eretainer that pre -
vents th ebattery from movin garound .
XRemoveth ebattery holder and take out th e
battery.
Battery231
Maintenance and care
Z
!Make sure that:
Rthe side windows and the roof are com-
pletely closed
Rthe climate control blower is switched off
Rthe windshield wiper switch is at position0
The vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
Wash off excess dirt before cleaning the vehicle
in an automatic car wash.
After putting the vehicle through an automatic
car wash, wipe off wax from:
Rthe rear view camera lens (Ypage 236)
Rthe windshield
Rthe windshield wiper blades
This will prevent smears and reduce wiping
noises caused by residue on the windshield.
Washing by hand
In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements of the country
you are currently in when washing by hand.
XDo not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
XUse a soft car sponge.
XUse a mild cleaning agent, e.g. a car shampoo
approved for use with Sprinter vehicles.
XThoroughly hose down the vehicle with a gen-
tle jet of water.
XDo not point the water jet directly towards the
air inlets.
XUse plenty of water and rinse out the sponge
frequently.
XRinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
XDo not let the cleaning agents dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
Power washers
GWARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diately.
!Under no circumstances use power washers
in the vehicle interior. The pressurized water
and associated spray produced by the power washer could cause extensive damage to the
vehicle.
!Observe the minimum distance to be main-
tained between the nozzle of the power
washer and object to be cleaned, as outlined
below:
Rapproximately 2.2 ft(70 cm) when using
round-jet nozzles
Rapproximately 1 ft (30 cm) when using
25°flat-spray jets and dirt blasters
Keep the water jet moving while cleaning. To
avoid causing damage, do not point the water
jet directly at:
Rdoor joints
Rbrake hoses
Relectrical components
Relectrical connections
Rseals
Rdrive train, especially not at the intermedi-
ate bearing of the propeller shaft
Rrear view camera (camera lens and micro-
phone opening on the bottom)
Keep a minimum distance of 1.6 ft(50 cm).
Cleaning the engine
!Water must not enter intake or ventilation
openings. When cleaning with high pressure
water or steam cleaners, the spray must not
be aimed directly at electrical components or the terminals of electrical lines.
Preserve the engine after the engine has been
cleaned. Protect the belt drive system from
exposure to the preservative agent.
Also observe the information under "Power
washers" (
Ypage 234).
234Care
Maintenance and care