All seat belts except the driver's seat belt are
equipped with a special seat belt retractor to
securely fasten child restraint systems in the
vehicle. Further information can be found under
"Special seat belt retractor" (
Ypage 49).
Releasing seat belts
!Make sure that the seat belt is fully rolled up.
Otherwise, the seat belt or belt tongue will be
trapped in the door or in the seat mechanism.
This could damage the door, the door trim
panel and the seat belt. Damaged seat belts
can no longer fulfill their protective function
and must be replaced. Visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
XPress the release button in the belt buckle,
hold the belt tongue firmly and guide the belt
back.
Belt warning for drivers and front pas-
sengers
The 7 seat belt warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster is a reminder that all vehicle occu-
pants must wear their seat belts. It may light up
continuously or flash. In addition, there may be
a warning tone.
Regardless of whether the driver's seat belt has
already been fastened, the 7seat belt warn-
ing lamp lights up for 6 secondsa fter each time
the ignition is switched on. After the engine has
been started, it goes out once the driver has
fastened the seat belt.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened when the
engine is started, an additional warning tone will sound. This warning tone stops after a maximum
of six seconds or once the driver's seat belt is
fastened.
If the vehicle's speed exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h) once and the driver's seat belt is not
fastened, a warning tone sounds. The warning
tone sounds for 60 seconds or until the driver's
seat belt is fastened.
If the driver's seat belt is unfastened during the
journey, the seat belt warning is activated again.
Air bags
Introduction
The installation point of an air bag can be rec-
ognized by the SRS/AIRBAG or AIRBAG mark-
ing.
An air bag complements the correctly fastened
seat belt. It is no substitute for the seat belt. The
air bag provides additional protection in appli-
cable accident situations.
Not all air bags are deployed in an accident. The
different air bag systems function independ-
ently from one another (
Ypage 47).
However, no system available today can com-
pletely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
It is also not possible to rule out a risk of injury
caused by an air bag due to the high speed at
which the air bag must be deployed.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you do not sit in the correct seat position,
the air bag cannot protect as intended and
could even cause additional injury when
deployed. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
To avoid hazardous situations, always make
sure that all of the vehicle's occupants:
Rhave fastened their seat belts correctly,
including pregnant women
Rare sitting correctly and maintain the great-
est possible distance to the air bags
Rfollow the following instructions
Always make sure that there are no objects
between the air bag and the vehicle's occu-
pants.
RAdjust the seats properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the seat
is in an almost upright position. The center of
the head restraint must support the head at
about eye level.
RMove the driver's and front-passenger seats
as far back as possible. The driver's seat posi-
tion must allow the vehicle to be driven safely.
ROnly hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allows the air bag to be fully deployed.
Occupant safety45
Safety
Z
ASR on. In this case, only depress the acceler-
ator pedal as far as required when pulling away.
XPress theàbutton.
If ASR is deactivated, the dwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up.
ASR is automatically activated when the engine
is started.
It may be best to deactivate ASR briefly in the
following situations:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
If you deactivate ASR:
Rengine torque is not limited and the drive
wheels are able to spin. The spinning wheels
will then achieve a cutting effect for better
traction.
Rtraction control remains active through brake
intervention. If a drive wheel attains its tire
traction limit because one side of the road is
slippery, for example, that wheel is braked.
The traction is then increased in this situation.
Ractive brake intervention by ESP®to increase
driving stability remains active. The d
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes when ESP
®is intervening.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
GWARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
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 196).
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 196).
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 195).
iOnly use wheels with the recommended tire
sizes. Only then will ESP®function properly.
56Driving safety systems
Safety
XTo set the armrest angle:fold the armrest
upwards by more than 45° ;.
The armrest is released.
XFold armrest =forwards to the stop.
XSlowly fold the armrest upwards to the
desired position.
XTo fold the armrest up: if necessary, fold the
armrest upwards :by more than 90°.
Seat heating
GWARNING
Repeatedly switching on the seat heating can
cause the seat cushion and backrest pads to
become very hot. The health of persons with
limited temperature sensitivity or a limited
ability to react to high temperatures may be
affected or they may even suffer burn-like
injuries. There is a risk of injury.
Therefore, do not switch the seat heating on
repeatedly.
!When you leave your seat, do not place any-
thing on the seat and switch off the seat heat-
ing. Do not switch the seat heating on when
the seat is not occupied, e.g. when driving
without a front passenger. The seat heating
may otherwise overheat, causing damage to
the seat.
The three red indicator lamps in the cbutton
show the activated heating level 1to 3.
The system automatically switches down from
level 3to level 2after approximately
five minutes.
The system automatically switches down from
level 2to level 1after approximately
ten minutes. At level
1, the seat heating remains in continu-
ous operation.
XMake sure that the key is in position 1or 2in
the ignition lock.
XTo switch on: press thecbutton repeat-
edly until the desired heating level has been
set.
XTo switch off: press thecbutton repeat-
edly until all indicator lamps go out.
If the indicator lamps of the current heating level
in the cbutton flash, the seat heating has
switched off automatically. In this case, too
many electrical consumers are switched on or
the battery charge is not sufficient. The seat
heating will automatically switch back to the
current heating level when enough on-board
voltage is available again.
Steering wheel
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine.
GWARNING
If the steering wheel is unlocked while the
vehicle is in motion, it could change position
unexpectedly. This could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Before starting off, make sure the steering
wheel is locked. Never unlock the steering
wheel while the vehicle is in motion.
GWARNING
Children could injure themselves if they
adjust the steering wheel. There is a risk of
injury.
Steering wheel79
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The steering wheel can still be adjusted if the
key has been removed.
:Steering column fore-and-aft adjustment
;Steering column height
=Lever
XTo set the steering wheel: swing lever=
down until it engages.
The steering wheel is unlocked.
XMove the steering wheel to the desired posi-
tion.
XPull lever =up to the stop.
The steering wheel is locked again.
Mirrors
Rear-view mirror
XAnti-glare mode: push anti-glare lever :in
the direction of the arrow.
Exterior mirrors
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The additional mirrors in the exterior mirrors
reduce the size of the image. Objects visible in
the mirrors are closer than they appear. You
could misjudge the distance from road users
driving behind you when changing lanes, for
instance. There is a risk of an accident.
You should therefore always determine the
actual distance from road users driving
behind you, e.g.:
Rby looking over your shoulder
Rby looking in the main mirror in the exterior
mirror.
Adjusting manually
XBefore starting off, manually adjust the exte-
rior mirrors in such a way that you can get a
good overview of road and traffic conditions.
Adjusting electrically
Button and switch for mirror adjustment
XBefore pulling away, turn the key to position 2
in the ignition lock (Ypage 119).
XPress switch ;to position 1for the left-hand
exterior mirror or to position 2for the right-
hand exterior mirror.
XPress button :up or down, to the right or
left.
80Mirrors
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
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
permitted to operate a mobile phone while the
vehicle is in motion, only operate it when road
and traffic conditions permit.
If you have connected a mobile phone to the
Sprinter hands-free system, you can operate it
using the functions in theTEL
menu.
XSwitch on the mobile phone (see the separate
operating instructions).
XSwitch on the audio equipment (see the sep-
arate operating instructions).
XEstablish a Bluetooth®connection between
the mobile phone and the audio equipment
(see the separate operating instructions).
XPress the VorU button on the steering
wheel to select the TELmenu.
XWhenPlease enter PIN:appears in the
display, enter the PIN using the mobile phone
or audio equipment.
The mobile phone will search for a network.
The display remains blank during this time.
You will see the mobile phone operational
readiness display once the mobile phone has
found a network.
iYou can obtain further information about
suitable mobile phones and connecting
mobile phones via Bluetooth
®at any qualified
specialist workshop.
iIf the mobile phone operational readiness
symbol goes out, your vehicle is outside of the
transmission and reception range.
Accepting a call
XPress the 6button on the steering wheel
to accept an incoming call.
The display shows the call duration.
Rejecting or ending a call
XPress ~button on the steering wheel to
reject or end a call.
The caller then hears the engaged tone.
The display shows the mobile phone opera-
tional readiness symbol again.
Dialing a number from the phone book
You can enter new telephone numbers into the
phone book via the mobile phone (see the sep-
arate operating instructions). If your mobile phone is able to receive calls, you can search for
and dial a number from the phone book.
Using the steering wheel buttons
XUse the
VorU button to select the TELmenu.
The display shows the mobile phone opera-
tional readiness symbol.
XPress the9or: button to switch to
the phone book.
The on-board computer reads the phone book
stored on the SIM card or in the mobile phone.
This may take more than a minute.
When the message is no longer displayed,
reading has ended.
XPress the 9or: button to select the
desired name.
or
XTo start rapid scrolling: press and hold the
9 or: button longer than 1 second.
Rapid scrolling stops when you release the
button or reach the end of the list.
Using the steering wheel buttons
XTo start dialing: press the6button.
The on-board computer dials the correspond-
ing phone number.
When a connection is established, the name
of the other person and/or the call duration
appear in the display.
XTo exit the phone book: press the~but-
ton.
Redialing
The on-board computer saves the last names or
numbers dialed in the redial memory.
Using the steering wheel buttons
XUse the VorU button to select the TELmenu.
The display shows the mobile phone opera-
tional readiness symbol.
XPress the6button.
The display shows the most recently dialed
numbers or names in the redial memory.
XPress the 9or: button to select the
desired name or number.
XTo start dialing: press the6button.
The on-board computer dials the correspond-
ing phone number.
174On-board computer (vehicles with steering wheel buttons)
On-board computer and displays
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
;
The yellow Check
Engine indicator
lamp is lit while
the engine is run-
ning.The exhaust gas aftertreatment is malfunctioning or an emission rel-
evant malfunction has occurred. This malfunction or defect can dam-
age the exhaust gas aftertreatment.
After the first message and under normal operating conditions, you
can drive on for up to approximately 500 mi (800 km). Then a warning
tone sequence sounds and the engine can only be started another 16
times.
XObserve the messages in the display.
XHave the exhaust gas aftertreatment checked immediately at a
qualified specialist workshop.
In some states it is legally prescribed that after the Check Engine
indicator lamp lights up you must contact a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. Observe the legal requirements.
% If you turn the key
to position 2in
the ignition lock,
the yellow pre-
glow indicator
lamp remains lit
for approximately
one minute. Or
the yellow pre-
glow indicator
lamp lights up for
approximately
one minute while
the engine is run-
ning.At extremely low temperatures, the engine may not start.
There is a malfunction in the preglow system.
XHave any malfunction rectified at a qualified specialist workshop.
È The yellow air fil-
ter indicator lamp
is lit while the
engine is running.The service limit for the air filter has been reached. The air filter is dirty.
XHave the air filter element replaced as soon as possible at a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
hThe yellow tire
pressure monitor
warning lamp
comes on.GWARNING
The tire pressure monitor indicates a rapid or severe loss of pressure
in at least one tire.
XStop the vehicle without making any extreme steering maneuvers or
braking suddenly. Pay attention to the traffic conditions while doing
so.
XCheck the tires and correct the tire pressure. If a tire continues to
lose pressure, it must be replaced. Replace damaged tires imme-
diately.
The warning light will go out after the flat tire has been rectified and
you have been driving for a few minutes.
XVehicles with steering wheel buttons: also observe the messages in the display (Ypage 193).
202Indicator and warning lamps in the instrument cluster
On-board computer and displays
flated tire causes the tire to overheat and canlead to tire failure. Underinflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and
may affect the vehicle's handling and stop-
ping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
USA only:
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate if the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale. When the system
detects a malfunction, the warning lamp will
flash for approximately a minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This
sequence will be repeated every time the vehi-
cle is started as long as the malfunction
exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or signal
low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunc-
tions may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the mounting of incompatible
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from func-
tioning properly. Always check the TPMS mal-
function telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that
the replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function prop-
erly.
Vehicles with a tire pressure monitor are equip-
ped with sensors in the wheels that monitor the
tire pressure of all four tires. The tire pressure
monitor monitors the pressure in all four tires;
you set this pressure when you activate the tire pressure monitor. The tire pressure monitor
warns you when the pressure drops in one or
more of the ti
res. The tire pressure monitor only
functions if the corresponding sensors are
installed on all wheels. You should always adjust the tire pressure
according to the vehicle load. Restart the tire
pressure monitor if you change the tire pres-
sure.
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you if a
tire pressure is incorrect. Observe the notes on the recommended tire pressure (
Ypage 251).
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn you
of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. following pen- etration by a foreign object. In this event, brake
the vehicle until it comes to a standstill. Do not
carry out any sudden steering maneuvers.
The tire pressure monitor has a yellow h
warning lamp in the instrument cluster for indi-
cating pressure loss/malfunctions (USA) or
pressure loss (Canada). Depending on how the
warning lamp flashes or lights up, an underin-
flated tire or a malfunction in the tire pressure
monitor is displayed:
Rif the h warning lamp is lit continuously,
the tire pressure on one or more tires is sig-
nificantly too low. The tire pressure monitor is
not malfunctioning.
RUSA only: if the hwarning lamp flashes for
60 seconds and then remains lit constantly,
the tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning.
Only vehicles with steering wheel buttons: the
on-board computer displays information on tire
pressure. After a few minutes of driving, the cur-
rent tire pressure of each tire is shown in the on-
board computer.
USA only: if the tire pressure monitor is mal-
functioning, it may be more than 10 minutes
before the malfunction is shown. The htire
pressure warning lamp flashes for 60 seconds
and then remains lit. When the malfunction has been rectified, the htire pressure warning
lam p goes ou
t after a few minutes of driving.
The tire pressure values indicated by the on-
board computer may differ from those meas-
ured at a gas station with a pressure gauge. The
tire pressures shown by the on-board computer
refer to those measured at sea level. At high
altitudes, the tire pressure values indicated by a pressure gauge are higher than those shown by
the on-board computer. In this case, do not
reduce the tire pressures.
If radio transmitting equipment (e.g. wireless
headphones, two-way radios) is operated inside
the vehicle or in the vicinity of the vehicle, this
can interfere with the operation of the tire pres-
sure monitor.
Tire pressure255
Wheels and tires
Z