2018 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER towing

secured properly. The special seat belt retrac-tor is disabled and the inertia real draws in a
portion of the seat belt. The seat belt cannot
be immediately refastened. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Stop the vehicle immediately, paying atten-
tion to road and traffic conditions. Reactivate
the special seat belt retractor and secure the
child restraint system properly.
All seat belts in the vehicle, except the driver's
seat belt, are equipped with a special seat belt
retractor. When activated, the special seat belt
retractor ensures that the seat belt cannot
slacken once the child seat is secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
XMake sure you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
XPull the seat belt smoothly from the belt out-
let.
XEngage seat belt tongue in belt buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor:
XPull the seat belt out fully and let the inertia
reel retract it again.
While the seat belt is retracting, you should
hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat belt
retractor is enabled.
XPush the child restraint system down so that
the seat belt is tight and does not loosen.
Removing the child restraint system and deac-
tivating the special seat belt retractor:
XMake sure you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
XPress the release button of the seat belt
buckle and guide the seat belt tongue back
towards the belt sash guide.
The special seat belt retractor is deactivated.
Child restraint system
The use of seat belts and child restraint systems
is required by law in:
Rall 50 states
Rthe U.S. territories
Rthe District of Columbia
Rall Canadian provinces You can obtain further information about the
correct child restraint system from any author-
ized Sprinter Dealer.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly on a suitable seat, it cannot protect as
intended. The child cannot then be restrained
in the event of an accident, heavy braking or
sudden changes of direction. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Make sure that you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions and the notes on use. Please ensure,
that the base of the child restraint system is
always resting completely on the seat cush-
ion. Never place objects, e.g. cushions, under or behind the child restraint system. Only use
child restraint systems with the original cover
designed for them. Only replace damaged
covers with genuine covers.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly or is not secured, it can come loose in
the event of an accident, heavy braking or a
sudden change in direction. The child
restraint system could be thrown about, strik-
ing vehicle occupants. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Always install child restraint systems prop-
erly, even if they are not being used. Make
sure that you observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instructions.
You will find further information on stowing
objects, luggage or loads under "Loading guide-
lines" (
Ypage 213).
GWARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems which have been damaged or subjected
to a load in an accident can no longer protect
as intended. The child cannot then be
restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. There is an increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
50Children in the vehicle
Safety

XTo lock/unlock the entire vehicle:press
the upper Ãcentral locking button when
the doors are closed.
When the entire vehicle is locked, the indica- tor lamp in the Ãcentral locking button
lights up.
iIf the key has been removed or is in position
0 in the ignition lock, the indicator lamp in the
à central locking button remains lit for
five seconds.
XTo lock/unlock the sliding doors and rear
doors: press the lower section of the Ä
central locking button when the doors are
closed.
When the sliding doors and rear doors are
locked, the indicator lamp in the upper Ã
central locking button lights up.
Automatic locking
General notes
The vehicle locks automatically as standard
once a speed of 9 mph (15 km/h) has been
reached. Depending on the vehicle's equip-
ment, the doors may be locked automatically
once the ignition is switched on. Information on
the functions of the automatic locking mecha-
nism of your vehicle can be obtained from any
authorized Sprinter Dealer.
If the automatic locking when driving function is
activated, there is a risk of being locked out
when the vehicle is pushed or towed.
For this reason, deactivate the automatic lock-
ing when driving function:
Rbefore pushing the vehicle
Rbefore towing the vehicle
If activated, automatic locking is deactivated
when the vehicle is unlocked or locked using the
central locking button.
Automatic locking is reactivated after the igni-
tion is switched off or a door is opened with the
vehicle stationary.
Activating automatic locking when driv-
ing
XTurn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock when the doors are closed.
XFor the entire vehicle: press the upperÃ
central locking button until the indicator lamp
in the button flashes four times.
XFor the sliding doors and rear doors only:
press the lower Äcentral locking button
until the indicator lamp in the upper Ã
button flashes four times.
Deactivating automatic locking when
driving
XTurn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock when the doors are closed.
XFor the entire vehicle: press the upperÃ
central locking button until the indicator lamp
in the button flashes twice.
XFor the sliding doors and rear doors only:
press the lower Äcentral locking button
until the indicator lamp in the upper Ã
button flashes twice.
Driver's door and front-passenger
door
!
Only open the doors when road and traffic
conditions permit. Make sure that there is
sufficient clearance when opening the doors.
Otherwise, you could damage your vehicle or
other vehicles.
You can open the driver's or front-passenger
door from the inside at any time, even if it is
locked.
66Driver's door and front-passenger door
Opening and closing

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The vehicle cannot be
driven at a speed
exceeding 5 mph
(8 km/h).
The yellow;Check
Engine lamp and the yel-
low å DEF indicator
lamp
2light up.
The exhaust gas aftertreatment system is defective or an emissions-
relevant malfunction has occurred.
This malfunction or defect can damage the exhaust gas aftertreat-
ment.
XObserve the messages in the display:
Ron vehicles without steering-wheel buttons (Ypage 177)
Ron vehicles with steering wheel buttons (Ypage 187).
The engine does not
start.
The starter motor cannot
be heard.The battery isolating switch is switched off.
XSwitch on the power supply (Ypage 119).
The engine does not
start.
The starter motor cannot
be heard.The on-board voltage is too low. The battery is too weak or discharged.
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 243).
If the engine cannot be jump-started, the starter motor is faulty.
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine does not
start.
The starter motor cannot
be heard.The battery is discharged or faulty.
XCheck the battery for damage.
XCharge the battery (Ypage 233).
Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is
a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate.
!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.
Towing (
Ypage 244)
Selector lever
jPark position with parking lock
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive
2Only vehicles without steering-wheel buttons.
Automatic transmission123
Driving and parking
Z

Shift ranges
When the selector lever is in positionDyou can
restrict or derestrict the shift range for the auto- matic transmission.
XTo extend and restrict the shift range:
press the selector lever briefly to the right
towards D+or left towards D–.
The display shows the selected shift range.
The automatic transmission shifts only as far
as the relevant gear.
iIf the maximum engine speed for the restric-
ted shift range is reached and you depress the
accelerator pedal, the automatic transmis-
sion will not shift up.
Driving situations
5Use the braking effect of the engine
on steep downhill gradients and for
driving:
Ron steep mountain roads
Rin mountainous terrain
Rin arduous conditions
4Use the braking effect of the engine
on extremely steep downhill gradi-
ents and long downhill stretches.
Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
Rlittle throttle: early upshifts
Rlots of throttle: later upshifts
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
XDepress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to the next
gear down, depending on the engine speed.
XEase off on the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts up again.
Maneuvering
Maneuvering in a tight space:
XControl the vehicle's speed by braking care-
fully.
XDepress the accelerator pedal slightly and
evenly.
iYou can shift back and forth between drive
position Dand reverse gear Rat low speeds
without applying the brakes. This can help
you, for example when rapidly maneuvering
the vehicle or rocking it out of snow or slush.
Towing a trailer
XDrive at moderate engine speeds on steep
uphill gradients.
XDepending on the uphill or downhill gradient,
shift down to a shift range adapted to the
driving situation (
Ypage 125), even if cruise
control is activated.
Automatic transmission125
Driving and parking
Z

Exceptionally, if the service brake fails, the park-
ing brake can be used to brake the vehicle in an
emergency.
XEmergency braking: press and hold release
button ;and carefully apply brake lever :.
Switching off the engine
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
!If the coolant temperature is very high, e.g.
after driving on hilly roads, leave the engine
running at idle speed for about two minutes
before turning it off.
This allows the coolant temperature to return
to normal.
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the automatic transmission to position
P .
XApply the parking brake.
XTurn the key to position 0in the ignition lock
and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away (Ypage 129).
Wheel chock
Use the wheel chock or a similar object to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling away, e.g. when
parking or changing a wheel.
Wheel chock in the load/passenger compartment
XTo remove the wheel chock on Cargo
Vans/Passenger Vans: pull restraining
cable :down a little and remove it from
retainer ;.
XRemove the chock.
iWhen stowing the wheel chock, make sure
that restraining cable :is holding it securely
in retainer ;.
Wheel chock to the rear of the chassis on the left
side of the vehicle (example)
XTo remove the wheel chock on Cab Chas-
sis:pull the locking springs down and remove
the wheel chock.
iWhen stowing the wheel chock, make sure
that it is secured in the retainer with the lock-
ing springs.
Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you park your vehicle for longer than
three weeks:
Rconnect the batteries to a trickle charger or
Rdisconnect the vehicle's starter battery or
Parking131
Driving an d parking
Z

Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range of
Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the corre-
sponding turn signal, a double warning tone
sounds once. Red warning lamp:flashes. If
the turn signal remains on, detected vehicles
are indicated by the flashing of red warning
lamp :. There are no further warning tones.
Activating/deactivating Blind Spot Assist
iBlind Spot Assist is activated when you
switch on the ignition.
XTurn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
Warning lamps :in the exterior mirrors light
up red for approximately 1.5 seconds and
then turn yellow.
XTo deactivate: press thekbutton in the
center console (Ypage 37).
The yellow indicator lamp in exterior mirror :
first flashes and then lights up continuously.
XTo activate: press thekbutton in the
center console again (Ypage 37).
The yellow indicator lamp in exterior mirror :
flashes initially. If you exceed 20 mph
(30 km/h) while driving, the yellow indicator
lamp in exterior mirror :goes out.
Towing a trailer
If you attach a trailer, make sure that you have
correctly established the electrical connection.
This can be accomplished by checking the trailer
lighting. Blind Spot Assist is deactivated as a
result. The indicator lamp in the exterior mirrors
lights up yellow.
On veh icles wit
h steering wheel buttons, the
Blind Spot Assist Deactivatedmessage
also appears in the display.
Lane Keeping Assist
General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in front of
your vehicle by means of a camera at the top of
the windshield. Lane Keeping Assist detects
lane markings on the road and warns you before
you leave your lane unintentionally.
:Lane Keeping Assist camera
Lane Keeping Assist supports you from speeds
of approximately 40 mph(60 km/h).
If Lane Keeping Assist detects lane markings,
the à indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter lights up green. Lane Keeping Assist is opera-
tional.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Lane Keeping Assist may not always clearly
recognize lane markings.
In this case, Lane Keeping Assist may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning
Rnot give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and stay in lane, in particular if
warned by Lane Keeping Assist.
GWARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There is
a risk of an accident.
You should always steer, brake or accelerate
yourself, in particular if warned by Lane Keep-
ing Assist.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Lane Keep-
ing Assist can neither reduce the risk of accident
nor override the laws of physics. Lane Keeping
Assist cannot take into account road, weather or traffic conditions. Lane Keeping Assist is only an
aid. You are responsible for the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, braking in
good time and for staying in your lane.
Driving systems145
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 251). This is the only way to get the full
benefit from the all-wheel drive system.
For information on "Driving off-road", see
(
Ypage 137).
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 147) 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 systems147
Driving and parking
Z

Selector lever posi-
tionMonitoring
DFront area
Ror NFront and rear area
PNo areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the vehi-
cle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
Rsixth segment, an intermittent warning tone
sounds for approximately 2 seconds.
Rseventh segment, a continuous warning tone
sounds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance.
Roll-back warning
PARKTRONIC automatically monitors the area
behind the vehicle if the vehicle begins to roll
backwards without reverse gear engaged, e.g.
after stopping on an uphill gradient.
If PARKTRONIC recognizes an obstacle at a dis-
tance of at most 31 in (80 cm), all the segments
in the warning displays light up. A continuous
warning tone also sounds as the vehicle
approaches the obstacle and for a further
2 seconds after the vehicle has come to a halt.
Activating/deactivating PARKTRONIC
XPress the fbutton.
If PARKTRONIC is deactivated, the indicator
lamp in the switch lights up.
Towing a trailer
PARKTRONIC detects a coupled trailer if your
vehicle is equipped with the corresponding elec-
trical installations for trailer towing.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer. If you use an
adapter for the socket, remove it from the
socket after detaching the trailer. Otherwise,
PARKTRONIC remains deactivated for the rear
area.
Remove a detachable trailer coupling if it is no
longer required. PARKTRONIC measures the
minimum detection range to an obstacle from
the bumper, not the ball coupling.
152Driving systems
Driving and parking