
Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
GWARNING
Overloaded tires can overheat, causing a
blowout. Overloaded tires can also impair the steering and driving characteristics and lead
to brake failure. There is a risk of accident.
Observe the load rating of the tires. The load
rating must be at least half of the GAWR of
your vehicle. Never overload the tires by
exceeding the maximum load.
The Tire and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar
Two instruction labels on your vehicle show themaximum possible load.
(1) Only for vehicles with a gross weight of less than 10,000 lbs (4,536 kg):
Tire and Loading Information placard :is
on the B-pillar on the driver's side. Tire and
Loading Information placard :shows the
permissible number of occupants and the
maximum permissible load of the vehicle. It
also contains details of the tire sizes and
corresponding pressures for tires mounted
at the factory.
(2) The vehicle identification plate is located on the base of the driver's seat. The vehicle
identification plate informs you of the gross
vehicle weight rating. It is made up of the
vehicle weight, all vehicle occupants, the
fuel and the cargo. You can also find infor-
mation about the maximum Gross Axle
Weight Rating on the front and rear axle.
The maximum gross axle weight rating is
the maximum weight that can be carried by
one axle (front or rear axle). Do not exceed
the maximum gross vehicle weight or the maximum gross axle weight rating for the
front or rear axle.
Tire and Loading Information placard
General notes
Only vehicles with a gross weight of less than
10,000 lbs (4,536 kg) have a Tire and Loading
Information placard on the B-pillar on the driv-
er's side.
Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
:Maximum number of seats
;Maximum permissible gross vehicle weight
rating
XSpecification for maximum gross vehicle
weight ;is listed in the Tire and Loading
Information placard: "The gross weight of
occupants and luggage must not exceed XXX
kilograms or XXX lbs."
The gross weight of all vehicle occupants, cargo,
luggage and trailer load/noseweight (if applica-
ble) must not exceed the specified value.
iThe details on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard illustration are only an exam-
ple. The maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating is vehicle-specific and may dif-
fer from that which is illustrated. You can find
the valid maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating for your vehicle on the Tire and
Loading Information placard.
Loading the vehicle259
Wheels and tires
Z

To prevent operating problems, diesel with bet-
ter flow qualities is available during the winter
months. You can obtain information at the gas
station or from your fuel supplier.
Your vehicle is equipped with a fuel preheating
system. This improves the flow properties of the
diesel by approximately 14.5 ‡ (8 †). ULTRA-
LOW SULFUR DIESEL can be used without risk
of malfunction down to an outside temperature
of approximately 14 ‡ (Ò10 †).
Fuel additives
!Do not add gasoline or kerosene to diesel
fuel to improve its flow characteristics. Gas-
oline or kerosene impairs the lubricating
properties of the diesel fuel. This can result in
damage to the fuel injection system, for
example.
B20 fuels with bio-diesel content
!Continuous use of fuels with bio-diesel con-
tent over 5% (B20 fuels) can lead to fuel filter
clogging. Deposits may also form on the fuel
injector. This may reduce the engine output.
Unburned fuel can get into the oil pan. This
causes the engine oil level to rise. This can
cause engine mechanical damage.
To avoid damages and performance degrada-
tion, observe the following points:
RFill up with fuels with bio-diesel content of
5% (ULSD) or less, whenever possible.
RRegularly monitor your engine oil level if
you use B20 fuels on a regular basis.
RStrictly follow the oil change intervals quo-
ted in the instrument cluster and within
your maintenance booklet.
RUse only engine oils and filters approved for
use in your vehicle.
RIf you do not plan to drive your vehicle for
several weeks, completely fill the fuel tank
in advance with ULSD fuel.
For more information, consult the gas station
staff. The identification of fuels with bio-diesel
content (ULSD or B20) must be clear. If the
marking does not make this clear, do not refuel
from that pump.
Do not refuel with any fuels that have not been
approved for your vehicle.
For more information about refueling
(
Ypage 127).
Information on fuel consumption
HEnvironmental note
CO
2(carbon dioxide) is the gas which scien-
tists believe to be principally responsible for
global warming (the greenhouse effect). Your
vehicle's CO
2emissions are directly related to
fuel consumption and therefore depend on:
Refficient use of the fuel by the engine
Rdriving style
Rother non-technical factors, such as envi-
ronmental influences, road conditions or
traffic flow
You can minimize your vehicle's CO
2emis-
sions by driving carefully and having it serv-
iced regularly.
Fuel consumption depends on:
Rthe vehicle version
Rthe style of driving
Rthe operating conditions
Rthe type or quality of the fuel used
The vehicle will use more fuel than usual in the
following situations:
Rat very low outside temperatures
Rin city traffic
Rduring short journeys
Ron mountainous terrain
Rwhen towing a trailer
To keep fuel consumption low, observe the
advice in the "Protection of the environment"
section (
Ypage 25).
The following components of the different vehi-
cle versions influence fuel consumption:
Rtire sizes, tire tread, tire pressure, tire condi-
tion
Rbody
Rtransmission ratios for the drive assemblies
Radditional equipment (e.g. air-conditioning
system, auxiliary heating system)
For these reasons, the actual consumption fig-
ures for your vehicle may deviate from the con-
sumption figures determined according to EU
Directive 80/1268/EE C.
Data concerning fuel consumption are recorded in the on-board computer; use the steering
280Service products and capacities
Technical data

Depending on the driving style, the vehicle con-
sumes a maximum of 1.0 qt (1.0l)of engine oil
over a distance of 620 miles (1000 km).
Oil consumption may be higher if:
RThe vehicle is new.
RYou mainly operate the vehicle under arduous
operating conditions.
RYou frequently drive at high engine speeds.
Regular maintenance is one of the preconditions
for moderate rates of consumption.
You can only estimate the oil consumption after
you have driven a considerable distance.
Check the engine oil level on a regular basis, e.g.
weekly or each time you refuel (
Ypage 221).
Transmission and power steering oil
Automatic transmission
Service product: automatic transmission
fluid
Product name/numberMaintenance interval
Shell ATF 3403/M-115
MB Sheet No. 236.10—
Fuchs/Shell ATF 3353
MB Sheet No. 236.12
Further information can be obtained at any
qualified specialist workshop.
Rear axle
Service product: transmission oil
Product name/numberMaintenanceinterval
BP Energear Hypo DC
80W-90
MB Sheet No. 235.20—
Mobil Delvac Synthetic
Gear Oil 75W-90
MB Sheet No. 235.8
Further information can be obtained at any
qualified specialist workshop.
Steering
Service product: power steering fluid
Product name/numberMaintenanceinterval
Mobil ATF‑D,
Exxon Mobil Corporation
or equivalent
MB Sheet No. 236.3—
The steering is maintenance-free. Further infor-
mation can be obtained at any qualified special-
ist workshop.
Brake fluid
GWARNING
The brake fluid constantly absorbs moisture
from the air. This lowers the boiling point of
the brake fluid. If the boiling point of the brake
fluid is too low, vapor pockets may form in the
brake system when the brakes are applied
hard. This would impair braking efficiency.
There is a risk of an accident.
You should have the brake fluid renewed at
the specified intervals.
!Brake fluid corrodes paint, plastic and rub-
ber. If paint, plastic or rubber has come into
contact with brake fluid, rinse with water
immediately.
When handling, storing and disposing of brake
fluid, please observe the relevant regulations
and the important safety notes for service prod-
ucts.
Over a period of time, the brake fluid absorbs
moisture from the air. This reduces its boiling
point.
Have the brake fluid replaced at specified inter-
vals by a qualified specialist workshop.
iThere is usually a notice in the engine com-
partment to remind you when the next brake
fluid change is due.
Only use brake fluid approved by Mercedes-
Benz in accordance with MB-Freigabe or MB-
Approval 331.0.
284Service products and capacities
Technical data

Cargo tie-down points and carrier sys-
tems
Cargo tie-down points
General notes
!Observe the information on the maximum
loading capacity of the individual cargo tie-
down points.
If you use several cargo tie-down points to
secure a load, you must always take the max-
imum loading capacity of the weakest cargo
tie-down point into account.
If you brake hard, for example, the forces act-
ing could be up to several times the weight
force of the load. Always use multiple cargo
tie-down points in order to distribute the force absorption. Load the anchorages evenly.
You will find further information about cargo tie
down points and cargo tie-down rings in the
"Transporting" section (
Ypage 215).
Cargo tie-down rings
The maximum tensile load of the cargo tie-down rings is:
Cargo tie-down
ringsPermissible nomi- nal tensile load
Passenger Vans786.5 lbf
(3500 N)
Cargo Van1124.0 lbf (5000 N)
Load rails
The maximum tensile loads of the cargo tie-
down points in the cargo compartment are:
Cargo tie-down
pointPermissible nomi- nal tensile load
Load rails on cargo
compartment floor1124.0 lbf
(5000 N)
Lower load rail on
sidewall562.0 lbf(2500 N)
Upper load rail on
sidewall337.0 lbf(1500 N)
The values specified apply only to loads placed
on the cargo compartment floor if:
Rthe load is secured to two cargo tie-down
points on the rail and
Rthe distance to the nearest load-securing
point on the same rail is approximately 3 ft
(1 m)
Roof carrier
GWARNING
When you load the roof, the center of gravity
of the vehicle rises and the driving character-
istics change. If you exceed the maximum roof
load, the driving characteristics, as well as
steering and braking, will be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
Never exceed the maximum roof load and
adjust your driving style.
GWARNING
If you distribute the load unevenly in the vehi- cle, the handling as well as the steering and
braking characteristics are severely affected.
There is a risk of an accident.
Distribute the load evenly in the vehicle.
Secure the load to prevent it from slipping.
!The weight of any load carried on the roof,
including the roof carrier, must not exceed
the maximum permissible roof load.
The roof carrier supports must be mounted at
equal distances.
We recommend that you have a stabilizer
installed on the front axle.
!For safety reasons, we recommend that you
only use roof carrier systems that have been
tested and approved for the Sprinter. This will
help to avoid damage.
Vehicle data287
Technical data
Z