Indicator and warning lamps in the
instrument cluster ............................... 190
Stowing and features.......................200
Useful information ............................... 200
Stowage spaces and stowage com-
partments ............................................ 200
Cup holder ........................................... 204
Bottle holder ........................................ 204
Ashtray ................................................ 205
Cigarette lighter ................................... 205
12 V socket .........................................2 06
Mobile phone ....................................... 206
Additional communications equip-
ment .................................................... 207
Transporting loads ............................208
Useful information ............................... 208
Loading guidelines ............................... 208
Load distribution ................................. 210
Securing loads ..................................... 210
Carrier systems ................................... 212
Maintenance and care ......................214
Useful information ............................... 214
Engine compartment ........................... 214
Vehicle interior ....................................2 21
Maintenance ........................................ 221
Battery ................................................. 223
Care ..................................................... 229
Breakdown assistance .....................236
Useful information ............................... 236
Where will I find...? .............................. 236
Flat tire ................................................ 238
Jump-starting ....................................... 238
Tow-starting and towing away ............. 239
Electrical fuses ....................................2 42
Wheels and tires............................... 243
Useful information ............................... 243
Important safety notes ........................ 243
Operation ............................................ 243
Operation in winter .............................. 245
Tire pressure ....................................... 246 Loading the vehicle .............................. 254
What you should know about wheels
and tires .............................................. 257
Flat tire ................................................ 262
Changing wheels ................................. 262
Wheel and tire combination ................. 268
Spare wheel ......................................... 268
Technical data
................................... 271
Useful information ............................... 271
Vehicle electronics .............................. 271
Identification plates .............................2 72
Service products and capacities .......... 273
Vehicle data ......................................... 281
Contents3
Reservefuel .................................. .196
Tire pressure monitor .................... 197
Water separator .............................1 98
Windshield washer fluid ................. 198
Warranty .............................................. 23
Washer fluid
Adding ...........................................2 20
Capacities ...................................... 281
Display message ............................ 189
Indicator lamp ................................ 198
Notes ............................................. 281
Wiping with ...................................... 94
Wheels
Changing a wheel .......................... 262
Checking ........................................ 244
Cleaning ......................................... 231
Important safety notes .................. 243
Installing the adapter (spare
wheel) ............................................ 265
Interchanging/changing ................ 262
Mounting a new wheel ................... 266
Mounting a wheel .......................... 263
Removing a wheel .......................... 265
Removing and mounting the spare
wheel ............................................. 269
Snow chains .................................. 246
Storing ...........................................2 62
Tightening torque ........................... 267
Wheel size/tire size ....................... 268
Window curtain air bag ....................... 46
Windows
see Side windows
Windshield
Cleaning ......................................... 231
Defrosting ...................................... 102
Windshield heating
Problem (malfunction) ................... 103
Switching on/off ........................... 103
Windshield washer fluid
Adding ...........................................2 20
Indicator lamp ................................ 198
Windshield wipers
Problem (malfunction) ..................... 96
Rain and light sensor ....................... 94
Rear window wiper .......................... 95
Replacing the wiper blades .............. 95 Setting the sensiti
vity (vehicles
with steering wheel buttons and
rain/light sensor) ........................... 170
Switching on/off .............................. 94
Wiping with windshield washer
fluid ................................................. 94
Winter diesel ..................................... 274
Winter driving
Slippery road surfaces ................... 134
Snow chains .................................. 246
Winter operation
General notes ................................ 245
Radiator cover ................................. 29
Winter tires
M+S tires ....................................... 245
Setting a limit speed ......................1 31
Wiper blades
Cleaning ......................................... 231
Replacing ......................................... 95
Workshop
see Qualified specialist workshop
22Index
As a result, they could:
Ractivate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
Ractivate or deactivate systems, thereby
endangering other road users
Unsecured animals could also be flung around
the vehicle in the event of an accident or sud-
den steering or braking, thereby injuring vehi- cle occupants. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals properly during
the journey, e.g. use a suitable animal trans-
port box.
Driving safety systems
Overview
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
RABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
RASR (Acceleration SkidControl)
RBAS ( Brake Assist System)
REBD ( Electronic Brake Force Distribution)
RESP®(E lectronic StabilityProgram)
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-
ther reduce the risk of accident nor override the
laws of physics. Driving safety systems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, braking in good time
and for staying in your lane. Always adapt your
driving style to the prevailing road and weather
conditions and maintain a sufficient, safe dis-
tance from other road users. Drive carefully.
Please note that the driving safety systems
described only work optimally when:
Rthere is adequate contact between the tires
and the road surface
Ryou use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary, when the road conditions
are wintry Pay particular attention to the information
regarding tires, tire tread and winter operation
under "Wheels and tires" (
Ypage 243).
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes
Observe the important safety guidelines for the
driving safety system (Ypage 53).
GWARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition-
ally, further driving safety systems are deac-
tivated. There is an increased danger of skid-
ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
If ABS is malfunctioning, other systems will also
fail, including driving safety systems. Observe
the information relating to the !warning
lamp (
Ypage 191).
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way that
the wheels do not lock when you brake. This
allows you to continue steering the vehicle when
braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface conditions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even when you
only brake gently.
The yellow !warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. The lamp goes out when the engine starts
running.
Braking
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a
pulsating in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indication
of hazardous road conditions and functions as a
reminder to take extra care while driving.
XIf ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation is over.
XTo make a full brake application: depress
the brake pedal with full force.
Driving safety systems53
Safety
Z
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
Vehicles without steering wheel buttons: if the
BAS driving safety system is malfunctioning,
the : warning lamp lights up while the
engine is running (
Ypage 191).
BAS operates in emergency braking situations.
If you depress the brake quickly, BAS automat-
ically increases the brake pressure, thereby
reducing the stopping distance.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
GWARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure
to the rear wheels. This enables EBD to improve
handling during braking.
Observe the information on warning and indica-
tor lamps (
Ypage 191).
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If ESP
®is malfunctioning it will not provide
any vehicle stabilization. There is an increased
risk of skidding or of an accident.
Exercise caution when continuing to drive.
Have ESP
®checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
!Do not run the vehicle on a roller dynamom-
eter (e.g. for performance tests). If you must
operate the vehicle on a roller dynamometer, please consult a qualified specialist workshop
in advance. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
If you activate or deactivate the all-wheel drive
in a vehicle with this option, ESP
®will be deac-
tivated for the duration of the activation/deac-
tivation process.
If ESP
®is malfunctioning, the hindicator
lamp lights up while the engine is running and
the engine power may be reduced
(
Ypage 190).
iOnly use wheels with the recommended tire
sizes. Only then will ESP®function properly.
4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
!A function or performance test should only
be carried out on a two-axle dynamometer.
Before you operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified
workshop. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
4ETS is only active when all-wheel drive is acti-
vated (
Ypage 145).
4ETS ensures permanent drive for all four
wheels, and together with ESP
®it improves the
vehicle's traction.
If a driven wheel spins due to lack of traction:
RWhen pulling away, make use of the traction
control integrated in ESP®. Depress the
accelerator pedal as far as necessary.
RWhile driving, slowly take your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tires (M+S tires) and if necessary, snow chains
(
Ypage 246). This is the only way to get the full
benefit from the all-wheel drive system.
Crosswind Assist
Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP®is deac-
tivated or disabled because of a malfunction.
Crosswind Assist does not react:
Rin the event of severe jolts and vibrations, e.g.
as a result of uneven surfaces or potholes.
Rif the vehicle loses traction, e.g. on snow or
ice or when hydroplaning.
Rto large and sudden steering movements by
the driver.
Driving safety systems55
Safety
Z
Drivingin wet conditions
Hydroplaning
GWARNING
There is adanger of hydroplaning occurring,
eve nif you are drivin gslowly and your tires
hav esufficien ttread depth, dependin gon th e
dept hof water on th eroad. There is aris kof
an accident.
Fo rthis reason ,avoid tire rut sand brake care-
fully.
Therefore, in heav yrain or other condition sin
whic hhydroplaning can occur ,drive as follows:
Rreduce your speed
Ravoid tire rut s
Rapply thebrake swit hcar e
Drivin gon flooded road s
!Do notdrive through floode dareas. Chec k
th edept hof any water befor edrivin gthrough
it .Drive slowly through standin gwater. Oth-
erwise ,water may ente rth evehicle interio ror
th eengin ecompartment. Thi scan damage
th eelectronic component sin th eengin eor
th eautomatic transmission. Water can also
be drawn in by th eengine's air suction nozzles
and this can cause engin edamage.
If you hav eto drive on stretches of road on whic h
water has collected, please bear in min dthat :
Rthewater level of standin gwater should no t
be abov eth elowe redg eof th efron tbumper
Rdo no tdrive faste rthan walkin gspeed
Drivin gin winter
General notes
GWARNING
If you shift down on aslipper yroad surfac ein
an attempt to increase th eengine's braking
effect ,th edrive wheels could los etheir grip.
There is an increase ddanger of skidding and
accidents .
Do no tshift down fo radditional engin ebrak-
in g on aslipper yroad surface.
GDANGER
If th eexhaus tpipe is blocke dor adequat e
ventilation is no tpossible, poisonous gases
suc has carbon monoxide (CO) may ente rth e
vehicle. Thi sis th ecase, e.g. if th evehicle
becomes trappe din snow. There is aris kof
fatal injury.
If you leav eth eengin eor th eauxiliar yheatin g
running ,mak esur eth eexhaus tpipe and are a
around th evehicle are clear of snow. To
ensur ean adequat esupply of fresh air, ope n a
window on th esid eof th evehicle that is no t
facin ginto th ewind.
Hav eyour vehicle winterproofed at aqualified
specialis tworkshop in goo dtime at th eonset of
winter.
iDo no tcover th eradiator ,e.g. wit h awinte r
cover .The measurement sof th eon-boar d
diagnostic system may otherwise return inac-
curat evalues. Some of these values are
legally prescribed and mus ttherefore always
be exact .
Observ eth enote sin th e"Winte roperation "sec -
tion (
Ypage 245).
Slipper yroad surfaces
GWARNING
If you shift down on aslipper yroad surfac ein
an attempt to increase th eengine's braking
effect ,th edrive wheels could los etheir grip.
There is an increase ddanger of skidding and
accidents .
Do no tshift down fo radditional engin ebrak-
in g on aslipper yroad surface.
GWARNING
The outsid etemperature indicator is no t
designed to serve as an ice-warnin gdevic e
and is therefore unsuitable fo rthat purpose.
Indicated temperature sjust abov eth efreez -
in g poin tdo no tguarantee that th eroad sur -
fac eis free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
!Vehicles wit hautomatic transmissio nmay
roll only briefly in th eneutral position N.Pro-
134Driving tips
Driving and parking
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 245).
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
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.
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 qualified 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 c
onditions. 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.
Driving tips135
Driving and parking
Z
remain either on the ground or be fully raised.
Observe the instructions for towing the vehi-
cle with all wheels in full contact with the
ground.
!A function or performance test should only
be carried out on a two-axle dynamometer.
Before you operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified
workshop. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, the all-wheel drive system can nei-
ther reduce the risk of an accident nor override
the laws of physics. The all-wheel drive system
cannot take road, weather and traffic conditions
into account. The all-wheel drive system is only
an aid. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed and for
braking in good time.
4ETS ensures permanent drive for all four
wheels, and together with ESP
®it improves the
vehicle's traction.
If a driven wheel spins due to lack of traction:
RWhen pulling away, make use of the traction
control integrated in ESP®. Depress the
accelerator pedal as far as necessary.
RWhile driving, slowly take your foot off the
accelerator pedal
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tires (M+S tires) and if necessary, snow chains
(
Ypage 246). This is the only way to get the full
benefit from the all-wheel drive system.
For information on "Driving off-road", see
(
Ypage 135).
Engaging all-wheel drive
Conditions for engaging/disengaging
All-wheel drive can only be engaged or disen-
gaged if:
Rthe engine is running
Rthe vehicle is stationary
If it is not possible to engage all-wheel-drive:
Rmove the selector lever to position N
Rrelease the brake pedal
Rpress the;button
Rmove the selector lever from Nto Dor R
Engaging/disengaging all-wheel drive
XTo engage/disengage: press the;but-
ton.
The indicator lamp in the ;button flashes.
The h and: indicator lamps light up in
the instrument cluster. ESP
®and ASR are
deactivated for the duration of the engaging/ disengaging process.
If the engaging/disengaging process is suc-
cessful, the hand: indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster go out and ESP
®and
ASR are reactivated.
If the indicator lamp in the ;button is lit,
all-wheel drive is engaged. On vehicles with
steering-wheel buttons, the display then
shows the following message: Four-wheel
drive active.
If the engaging/disengaging process fails, the indicator lamp in the ;button flashes
three times briefly. One of the gear change
conditions was not fulfilled.
As long as the indicator lamp in the ;button
is flashing, you can cancel the engaging/disen-
gaging process by pressing the ;again.
iIf the LOW RANGE transmission ratio
(Ypage 145) is engaged, all-wheel drive can-
not be disengaged.
LOW RANGE transmission ratio
General notes
The LOW RANGE transmission ratio assists you
when driving on difficult terrain. If you engage
LOW RANGE, the engine's performance charac-
teristics and the automatic transmission's shift-
ing characteristics are adjusted accordingly.
The transmission ratio from the engine to the
wheels is around 40% lower than in the on-road position. This increases the drive torque.
Driving systems145
Driving and parking
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 232)
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 high-pres-
sure cleaner and the object to be cleaned:
Rapproximately 2.2 ft(70 cm) when using
round-jet nozzles
Rapproximately 1 ft (30 cm) when using 25°
flat-spray jets and concentrated-power jets
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
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 230).
230Care
Maintenance and care