2018 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER MY18 Operator’s Manual

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.
Checking the brake pad thickness
In addition to monitoring using the brake pad
wear sensor, regularly monitor and check all of
the brake pads by performing a visual inspection
to look for pad material wear.
If you are unable to check the brake wear on the
inside of the wheels, remove the wheels with the tools provided.
Make sure that the brake pad material thickness
never falls below 0.12 in (3 mm). Have the brake pads checked and replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, if necessary.
Do not solely rely on the brake pad wear sensor.
It is strongly recommended that you have the
brake pads checked at a qualified specialist
workshop at every service displayed in the main-
tenance interval indicator, prior to long journeys
and whenever the wheels are removed.
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 tips135
Driving and parking
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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
Ryou mus tno 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 250).
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-
136Driving tips
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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 250).
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 tips137
Driving and parking
Z

When loading your vehicle for driving off-road or
on a construction site, keep the vehicle's centerof gravity as low as possible.
Checklist before driving off-road
XCheck the fuel and DEF levels (Ypage 161)
and top up (Ypage 128).
XEngine: check the oil level (Ypage 221) and
add oil (Ypage 223).
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 241).
XMake sure that a lug wrench (Ypage 241),
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 249) and tire pressure
(Ypage 251).
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 213).
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 55).
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 147).
XActivate ASR (Ypage 55).
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.
138Driving tips
Driving and parking

XCheck the wheels and tires and wheel archesfor trapped foreign objects and remove them.
Trapped foreign objects can damage the
wheels and tires or may beflung out from the
veh icle when you continue driving.
XCheck the underbo dyfor trapped branches or
other parts of plants and remove them.
XClean the brake disks, brake padsand axle
jo ints, particular lyafter operation insand,
mud, grit and gravel, water or similarly dirt y
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 systems
Cruise control
General notes
Cruise control maintains the speed of the veh i-
cle for you.
Use cruise control ifroad and traff icconditions
make itappropriate to maintain a steady speed
for a prolonged period. You can set any speed
from 20 mph upwards inincrements of 1 mph.
iIfyou have set km /has the unit for the dig-
ital speedometer (Ypage 168), you can set
any speed from 30 km /hupwards inincre-
ments of 1 km/h.
Cruise control should not beactivated when
driv ing off-road or on construction sites.
Cruise control may not be ableto maintain the
stored speed on uphillordownhill gradients. If
the gradient evens out and the veh icle's speed
does not fall below 20 mph (30 km/h), the
stored speed is resumed.
iThe speed shown in the speedometer may
differ slightly from the speed stored by cruise
control.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, cruise control can neither reduce
the risk of an accident nor override the laws of
physics. Cruise control cannot take road,
weather and traffic conditions into account.
Cruise control is only an aid. You are responsible
for the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehi-
cle speed, for braking in good time and for stay-
ing in lane.
Do not use cruise control:
Rin traffic conditions that are unsuitable for
driving at a constant speed, e.g. in heavy traf-
fic, on winding roads or off-road
Ron slippery roads. Braking or accelerating can
cause the drive wheels to lose traction and
the vehicle could then skid
Rwhen visibility is poor, e.g. due to fog, heavy
rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, make sure that
you inform the new driver about the set cruise
speed.
Cruise control lever
Operating cruise control
:To activate and store the current speed or a
higher speed
;To activate at the last stored speed
=To activate and store the current speed or a
lower speed
?To deactivate cruise control
The cruise control lever is the upper lever on the
left of the steering column.
Displaying the cruise control speed
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons: when
you activate cruise control, the text field in the
display briefly shows the Cr.
controlmessage
Driving systems139
Driving and parking
Z

and the stored speed. The status area of the
display then shows theVsymbol and the
stored speed.
Vehicles without steering wheel buttons:
when you activate cruise control, the display
briefly shows the Vsymbol and the stored
speed.
Activation conditions
To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe parking brake must be released. The c
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster is off
Ryou are driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h)
Rneither the brake or clutch pedal is depressed
iOther drive and brake systems not descri-
bed in this Operator's Manual, such as a
retarder, may affect cruise control. You can
find information on this in the separate oper-
ating instructions provided by the body man-
ufacturer.
Storing and maintaining the current
speed
XAccelerate the vehicle to the desired speed
above 20 mph (30 km/h).
XBriefly push the cruise control lever up :or
down ?.
XRelease the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The current speed
is stored.
The display shows the Vsymbol and the
stored speed.
Resuming the stored speed
GWARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle acceler-
ates or decelerates. If you do not know the
stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you
do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
XRelease the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated and resumes the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored.
The display shows the Vsymbol and the
stored speed.
iWhen you pull the cruise control lever
towards you for the first time after starting the
engine, cruise control adopts the current
speed.
Setting the speed
It may be a moment before the vehicle starts to
accelerate or brake to the set speed. Take this
delay into account when setting the speed.
XBriefly push the cruise control lever up :to
increase the speed or down =to reduce the
speed.
The last stored speed increases or decreases
in 1 mph increments (1 km/h increments).
or
XPress and hold the cruise control lever up :
or down =until the desired speed has been
reached.
XRelease the cruise control lever.
The current speed is stored.
The display shows the Vsymbol and the
stored speed.
iCruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you acceler-
ate briefly to overtake, for example, cruise
control resumes the vehicle’s speed to the
last speed stored after you have finished over-
taking.
Deactivating cruise control
There are various ways to deactivate cruise con- trol:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards ?.
or
XApply the brakes.
The last speed set remains stored. The last
speed stored is deleted when you switch off the
engine.
140Driving systems
Driving and parking

Cruise controlisdeactivated automatically
when:
Ryou apply the brakes
Ryouapply the parking brake and the c
indicator lamp inthe instrument cluster lights
up
Ryou are driving slower than 20 mph (30 km/h)
Ryou shift the automat ictransmission to neu-
tral position Nwhile the vehicle is inmotion
RESP®or ASR intervenes
Rthere isa malfunction inthe ESP®, ASR or ABS
system
Problems with cruise control
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and MSolutions
On vehicleswit h steering
wheel buttons, the
speed cannot beset
when cruise control is
activated.The displ ay shows a high-priority message. Thus a change in speed is
not possible.
XProceed as instructed by the message inthe display.
XDeactivate cruise control
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
General notes
COLL ISION PREVENTION AS SISTcomprises the
dist ance warning function and adaptive Brake
Assist.
Distance warning function
Important safety notes
iNote the section on 'Important safety notes'
(Ypage 54).
GWAR NING
The distance warning function does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming veh icles
Rto crossing traff ic
Rwhen cornering
The distance warning function may not give
warnings inall critical situations. There isa
risk of an acc ident.
Alwa ys pay careful attention to the traff icsit-
uation and beready to brake.
Alwa ys adapt your speed to suit the pre vailing
road and traff icconditions.
GWARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and co mplex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning
Rnot give a warning
There isa risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and donot rely solely on the distance
warning function.
Operation
The distance warning function can help you to
minimize the risk of a front-end collision with a
vehicle ahead or reduce the effects of such a
collision. If the distance warning function
detects that there is a risk of a collision, you will
be warned visually and acoustically. Without
your intervention, the distance warning function
cannot prevent a collision.
The distance warning function willissue a warn-
ing at speeds of around 20 mph (30 km/h)or
more if:
Ryou approach a vehicle ahead of you very
quickly. You will then hear an intermittent
warning tone and the red ·warning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes.
Driving systems141
Driving and parking
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XBrake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
XTake evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
If you want the distance warning function to
assist you, the function must be activated and
operational.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditions may cause the
system to display an unnecessary warning.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the
distance warning function can detect obstacles
that are in the path of your vehicle for an exten-
ded period of time.
Up to a speed of 45 mph (70 km/h), the distance
warning function can also react to stationary
obstacles, such as stopped or parked vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and the distance
warning function detects a risk of a collision, the
system will alert you both visually and acousti-
cally.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired in the case of:
Rdirt, ice or anything else covering the sensors
Rsnow or heavy rain
Rinterference from other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages
Ra narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
Ra vehicle traveling in front on a different line
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle,
have the configuration and operation of the
radar sensor checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. This also applies to collisions at slow
spe eds w
here there is no visible damage to the
front of the vehicle.
Activating/deactivating the distance
warning function
When you switch on the engine, the distance
warning function switches on after a few sec-
onds.
XTo deactivate: press theæbutton
(Ypage 37).
Vehicles without steering wheel buttons:
the Ä warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter lights up and the OFF
message flashes. The
message then disappears and the Äindi-
cator lamp remains lit. Vehicles with steering wheel buttons:
the
Ä warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes and the Distance
WarningSystemDeactivatedmessage appears .The mes-
sage then disappears and the Äwarning
lamp remains lit.
XTo activate: press theæbutton again
(Ypage 37).
Vehicles without steering wheel buttons:
the Ä warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter lights up and the on
message flashes. The
message then disappears and the Äindi-
cator lamp goes out.
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons: the
Ä warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes and the Distance
WarningSystemActivatedmessage appears in the multi-
function display. The message then disap-
pears and the indicator lamp Ägoes out.
Adaptive Brake Assist
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Ypage 54).
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
Rintervene unnecessarily
Rnot intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rto stationary obstacles
Rwhen cornering
As a result, the Adaptive Brake Assist may not
intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
142Driving systems
Driving and parking