Side impact air bags:deploy next to the outer
bolster of the seat backrest.
When deployed, the side impact air bag offers
additional thorax protection. However, it does
not protect the:
Rhead
Rneck
Rarms
In the event of a side impact, the side impact air
bag is deployed on the side on which the impact
occurs.
Window curtain air bags
Window curtain air bags :are integrated into
the side of the roof frame above the front doors.
When deployed, the window curtain air bag
enhances the level of protection for the head.
However, it does not protect the chest or arms.
In the event of a side impact, the window curtain
air bag is deployed on the side on which the
impact occurs.
If the system determines that they can offer
additional protection to that provided by the
seat belt, a window curtain air bag may be
deployed in other accident situations
(
Ypage 46).
Deployment of Emergency Tensioning
Devices and air bags
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The air bag parts are hot after an air bag has
been deployed. There is a risk of injury.
Do not touch the air bag parts. Have a
deployed air bag replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop as soon as possible.
GWARNING
A deployed air bag no longer offers any pro-
tection and cannot provide the intended pro-
tection in an accident. There is an increased
risk of injury.
Have the vehicle towed to a qualified special-
ist workshop in order to have a deployed air
bag replaced.
It is important for your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced
and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air bags
continue to perform their protective function for
the vehicle occupants in the event of a crash.
GWARNING
Emergency Tensioning Devices that have
deployed pyrotechnically are no longer opera-
tional and are unable to perform their inten-
ded protective function. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Have pyrotechnically triggered Emergency
Tensioning Devices replaced immediately at a
qualified specialist workshop.
If Emergency Tensioning Devices are triggered
or air bags are deployed, you will hear a bang,
and a small amount of powder may also be
released. The 6restraint system warning
lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hear-
ing. The powder that is released generally does
not constitute a health hazard, but it may cause
short-term breathing difficulties in people with
asthma or other respiratory problems. Provided
it is safe to do so, you should leave the vehicle
immediately or open the window in order to pre-
vent breathing difficulties.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate material,
which may require special handling and regard
for the environment. National guidelines must
be observed during disposal. In California, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/
Perchlorate/index.cfm .
46Occupant safety
Safety
Method of operation
During the first stage of a collision, the restraint
system control unit evaluates important physi-
cal data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
Rduration
Rdirection
Rintensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices during a frontal or
rear collision.
An Emergency Tensioning Device can only be
triggered, if:
Rthe ignition is switched on
Rthe components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further information
under: "Restraint system warning lamp"
(
Ypage 40)
Rthe seat belt buckle tongue has engaged in
the belt buckle of the respective front seat
The Emergency Tensioning Device of the front-
passenger seat is triggered independently of the
lock status of the seat belt.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
more severe accident, further components of
the restraint system are activated independ-
ently of each other in certain frontal collision
situations:
RFront air bags
RWindow curtain air bag on the side on which
the impact occurs
The activation threshold of the Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices and the air bag are determined
by evaluating the rate of vehicle deceleration or
acceleration which occurs at various points in
the vehicle. This process is pre-emptive in
nature. Deployment should take place in good
time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration
and the direction of the force are essentially
determined by:
Rthe distribution of forces during the collision
Rthe collision angle
Rthe deformation characteristics of the vehicle
Rthe characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a deci-
sive role in the deployment of an air bag . Nor dothey provide a
n indication of air bag deploy-
ment.
The vehicle can be deformed considerably, with-
out an air bag being deployed. This is the case if
only parts which are relatively easily deformed
are affected and the rate of deceleration is not
high. Conversely, air bags may be deployed even though the vehicle suffers only minor deforma-
tion. This is the case if, for example, very rigid
vehicle parts such as longitudinal body mem-
bers are hit, and sufficient deceleration occurs
as a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a side
impact, the relevant restraint system compo-
nents are deployed independently of each other.
If the system determines a need for additional
protection for the vehicle occupants, the Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices are triggered.
RSide impact air bag on the side of impact,
independently of the Emergency Tensioning
Device and the use of the seat belt
RWindow curtain air bag on the side of impact,independently of the use of the seat belt and
independently of whether the front-
passenger seat is occupied
iNot all air bags are deployed in an accident.
The different air bag systems work independ-
ently of each other.
How the air bag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration and the apparent type of accident:
Rfrontal collision
Rside impact
Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
Accident statistics show that children secured
in the rear seats are safer than children secured
in the front-passenger seat. For this reason, we
strongly advise that you install a child restraint
system on a rear seat. Children are generally
better protected there.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 5 ft (1.50 m) in height is traveling in the
vehicle:
Ralways secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for this vehicle. The child
Children in the vehicle47
Safety
Z
Crosswind Assist is operational again as soon as
the driving conditions return to normal.
Cros swind Assist detects strong crosswind
gusts that can impair the road holding of your
veh icle when driving straight ahead. Cros swind
Assist intervenes dependin g on thedirection
and strength of the crosswind .
A stabiliz ing brake application helps you to keep
the veh icleon track.
In formation appears inthe instrument cluster In
the event that Cros swind Assist intervenes
noticeably.
On vehicles without steering wheel buttons:
the d indicator lamp inthe instrument clus-
ter flashes.
On vehicles with steering wheel buttons: the
d indicator lamp inthe instrument cluster
flashes and the message Crosswind Assist
Activeappearsinthe multifunction display.
Cros swind Assist isactive above a veh iclespeed
of 50 mph (80 km/h) when the veh icle is driving
straight ahead or cornering gently.
Emergency exit
Emergency exit window
GWAR NING
The emergency exit wind ow cannotbelocked
in plac e. You risk injury ifyou exit the vehicle
through the emergency exit wind ow.
RMake sure that nobodybecomes tr apped,
both when closing and when opening the
emergency exit wind ow.
RThe opened emergency exit wind ow must
be held in plac eby another person.
Pay attention to traff icconditions.
GWAR NING
If the emergency exit wind owisunlocked
while driv ing,itcould open and slam shut and
consequently fall down. There isa risk of an
acc iden t and injury.
Before starting off, make sure that the emer-
gency exit wind owislocked and the locking
pin s are undamage d.
!Make sure there issuff icient clearance
when opening the emergency exit wind ow.Hold the open window in position. You could
otherwise damage the emergency exit win-
dow.
The emergency exit wind
owisintended for use
in an emergency only and must not be opened
unless the vehicle isstationary. The emergency
exit window isthe first window behind the driv-
er's seat on the driver's side. It is marked by the
"Emergency Exit" label.
XTo open: position both handles :vertically.
This willbreak locking pins ;.
The wind ow is unlocked.
XSwin g the window outward by the handles
and hold it in this position. Make sure there is
sufficient clearance when doing so.
XTo close: close the window.
XPosition both handles :horizontally. Make
sure that the locks =are inside infront of the
window frame.
The wind ow is locked.
XReplace locking pins ;at the latest before
starting on a new journey.
You can obtain information on this at any
qualif ied specialist workshop.
In an emergency, or after an accident, the vehi-
cle occupants can exit the vehicle through the
emergency exit wind ow.
Observe the foll owing notes to make sure that
the emergency exit window can be used safely in
the event of an emergency:
RBefore beginning a journey, inform the vehicle
occupants of the emergency exit wind ow and
explain how to use it. Make sure to explicitly
poin t out the risks describe d here.
ROnlyvehicle occupants who know how to use
the emergency exit wind ow are permitted to
sit next to it.
RAccess to the emergency exit wind ow must
remain unobstructed. Do not place any large
56Emergency exit
Safety
or heavy objects on or in front of the seats
next to the emergency exit window.
RThe window handles must not be used as
hooks, e.g. to hang up light objects, bags or
items of clothing.
RWhen exiting the vehicle through the emer-
gency exit window, pay attention to the vehi-
cle height and the local conditions. Particu-
larly children and smaller adults may require
assistance when exiting the vehicle.
Theft deterrent locking system
Immobilizer
XTo activate:remove the key from the ignition
lock.
XTo deactivate: turn the key to position 2in
the ignition lock.
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
Always take the key with you and lock the vehi-
cle when leaving the vehicle. If you leave the key
in the vehicle, anyone can start the engine.
iThe immobilizer is always deactivated when
you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be started
when the starter battery is fully charged, the
immobilizer may be faulty. Contact an author-
ized Sprinter dealer or call 1-877-762-8267
(in USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
XTo arm: close all doors.
XLock the vehicle with the key.
The indicator lamp in the central locking but-
ton (
Ypage 63) flashes.
XTo disarm: unlock the vehicle with the key.
The indicator lamp in the central locking but-
ton (
Ypage 63) goes out.
iCargo Van and Passenger Van only:
Unless you open a door within 40 seconds
after unlocking the vehicle:
Rthe vehicle will be locked again
Rthe anti-theft alarm system will be armed
again If the alarm system is armed, a visual and audi-
ble alarm is triggered by the following:
RUnlocking the vehicle from inside
ROpening a door
ROpening the hood
iThe alarm is not switched off, even if you
immediately close the open door that has trig- gered it, for example.
XTo stop the alarm: press the%button on
the remote control.
or
XInsert the key into the ignition lock.
The alarm stops.
Tow-away alarm
Operation
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
inclination of the vehicle changes when the tow- away alarm is armed. This can be the case if the
vehicle is raised on one side, for example.
Arming and disarming
The tow-away alarm is automatically armed
approximately 20 seconds after you lock the
vehicle.
The tow-away alarm is automatically deactiva-
ted when you unlock the vehicle.
Disarming
Theft deterrent locking system57
Safety
Z
XRemove theke yfrom th eignition lock.
XPress butto n:.
When th ebutto nis released, indicator
lamp ;in th ebutto nlights up for about
5 seconds.
XLoc kth evehicle.
The tow-away alarm is disarmed .
The tow-away alarm remain sdisarmed until you
loc kth evehicl eagain .
Disar mthetow-away alarm when lockin gyour
vehicl eand :
Rloadin gand/o rtransporting th evehicle, on a
ferry or car transporter, for exampl e
Rparking onamoving surface, as split-level
garage
This will preven tfals ealarms.
Interior motion sensor
Operation
If th earmed interior motion sensor detects
motion in th evehicl einterior, avisual and acous-
ti c alarm is triggered .This can happe nif some-
on ereaches int oth evehicl einterior, for exam-
ple.
Switching on
XClose th eside windows .
XMakesur ethat nothing (suc has mascots or
coat hangers) are hangin gon th erear-view
mirror or on th egrab handles on th ehead-
liner.
This will preven tfals ealarms.
XLoc kth evehicle.
The interior motion sensor is armed after
approximately 40 seconds.
Switching off
XUnloc kvehicle.
The interior motion sensor automatically
switches off .
Deactivating
XRemove theke yfrom th eignition lock.
XPress butto n:.
When th ebutto nis released, indicator
lamp ;of th ebutto nlights up for about
5 seconds.
XLoc kth evehicle.
The interior motion sensor is deactivated.
The interior motion sensor remain sdeactivated
until you loc kth evehicl eagain .
Deactivat eth einterior motion sensor when
lockin gyour vehicle:
Rwit hpeople or animals remaining inside
Rwit hth eside windows remaining open
Rwhen transporting it on aferry or car trans -
porter, for exampl e
This will preven tfals ealarms.
58Theft deterrent locking system
Safety
Opening/closing the partition sliding
door from the cargo compartment
XTo unlock:press the catch in the direction of
arrow =.
The sliding door is unlocked.
XSlide the sliding door to the stop in the direc- tion of arrow :.
XTo close:slide the sliding door in the direc-
tion of arrow ;until it engages.
Side windows
Important safety notes
GWARNING
While opening the side windows, body parts
could become trapped between the side win-
dow and the door frame as the side window
moves. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody touches the side win-
dow during the opening procedure. If some-
body becomes trapped, release the switch or
pull the switch to close the side window again.
GWARNING
While closing the side windows, body parts in
the closing area could become trapped. There is a risk of injury.
When closing make sure that no parts of the
body are in the closing area. If somebody
becomes trapped, release the switch or press
the switch to open the side window again.
GWARNING
If children operate the side windows they
could become trapped, particularly if they are left unsupervised. There is a risk of injury.
Activate the override feature for the rear side
windows. When leaving the vehicle, always
take the SmartKey with you and lock the vehi-
cle. Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle.
GWARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
Opening/closing the side window
Control panel (example: driver's door)
:
Power window, left
;Power window, right
XTurn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
XPress or pull button :or; until the corre-
sponding side window has reached the
desired position.
If you press the switch beyond the pressure
point and then release it, the window opens
automatically. To stop the movement, press or
pull the switch again.
70Side windows
Opening and closing
Resetting the side windows
You must reset the side windows if there has
been a malfunction or an interruption in the volt-
age supply.
XTurn the key to position2in the ignition lock.
XPull the two power window switches and hold
for approximately 1 second after closing the
side window.
Problems with the side windows
If you cannot completely open or close a side
window:
If there are no objects or leaves in the window
guide that prevent the sliding sunroof from clos-
ing, there has been a malfunction or the on-
board voltage has been interrupted.
XReset the side window (Ypage 71).
Side windows71
Opening and closing
Z
iCanada only:
If the wind shield wiper s areswitched on and
you stop the veh icle, the windshield wiper
speed isreduced. For example, ifyou have
selected level IIand stop the veh icle,wipin g
continues with intermittent wipe whilethe
veh icle is stationary. Ifintermittent wipe is
selected, the intervals become longer.
Vehicles with a rain and light sensor: you
can use level Ias the universal setting. The
rain and light sensor sets the appropriate wip-
ing frequency automatically, according to the
intensity of the rain. When you stop the veh i-
cle, leve lsIII and IIare swit ched down to
level Iautomatically.
The wind shield wiper will return to the original
level when you drive faster than 5 mph
(8 km/h).
You can adjust the sensitivit y of the rain and
light sensor using the on-board computer
(
Ypage 170).
In formation on checking the washer fluid level
can befound inthe "Maintenance and care"
section (
Ypage 220).
Switching the rear window wiper on/
off
Combination switch
:
è Rearwindowwiper swit ch
2ôTowipe wit h washer fluid
3ITo swit ch on intermittent wiping
40To swit ch off intermittent wiping
5ô Towipe wit h washer fluid
XTurn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
XTurn switch: to the corresponding position The rear window wiper
switches on automati-
cally if you engage reverse gear and the wind-
shield wiper s are on.
Replacing the wiper blades
GWARNING
If the wind shield wipers begin to move while
you are changing the wiperblades, you could
be trapped by the wiper arm. There isa risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
ignition before changing the wiper blades.
!Never open the hood if a windshield wiper
arm has been folded away from the wind-
shield.
Never fold a windshield wiper armwithout a
wiper blade back onto the windshield/rear
wind ow.
Hold the windshield wiper arm firmly when
you change the wiper blade. If you release the
windshield wiper arm without a wiperblade
and itfalls onto the windshield, the windshield
may be damaged by the force of the impact.
We recommend that you have the wiper
blades replaced at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
!Only hold the wiperblade by the wiperarm.
You could otherwise damage the wiper rub-
ber.
The wind shield will no longerbe wipedproperly
if the wiper blades are worn. Replace the wiper
blades twice a year, ideally in spring and fall.
Fron twindshield wiper arm wit hwiper blade
Windshield wipers95
Lights and windshield wipers
Z