2020 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER ECU

&
WARNING Risk of skidding and of an
accident due toshifting down on slippery
ro ad sur faces
If yo u shift down on slippery road sur faces to
inc rease the engine braking ef fect, the drive
wheels may lose traction. #
Do not shift down on slippery road sur‐
fa ces toinc rease the engine braking
ef fect. Ve
hicles with automatic transmissions may roll in
neut ral position 005Cfor only a short time. Allowing
th e wheels torollfo r longer, e.g. when towing,
causes transmission damage.
If th eve hicle thre atens toskid, or cannot be stop‐
ped when tr aveling at a low speed, you can stabi‐
lize theve hicle using thefo llowing measures:
R Shift the automatic transmission toneutral
position 005C.
R Tryto maintain control of theve hicle using
cor rective steering.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery roads.
Av oid sudden acceleration, steering and braking
maneuvers.
Ha ve your vehicle winterized at a qualified spe‐
cialist workshop in good time at the onset of win‐
te r.
Obser vethe no tes on snow chains
(/ page 309).
Re gular lych eck theve hicle and remo vesnow or
ice when tr aveling in wintry conditions.
An accumulation of snow and ice, particular ly
when frozen, in the area around the air intake,
moving parts, the axles and the wheel housing,
may cause thefo llowing problems:
R Obstruction of the air intake
R Damage tovehicle parts
R Malfunctions due torestriction of mobility
intended bythe design (e.g. reduced steering
mo vement)
If th ere is any damage, inform a qualified special‐
ist workshop. Information about driving off-road &
WARNING Risk of accident if you do not
ke ep toline of fall on inclines
If yo u drive at an angle or turn on an incline,
th eve hicle could slip side ways, tip and roll‐
ove r. #
Always drive on inclines in the line of fall
(straight up or down) and do not turn. &
WARNING Risk of inju rydue toacceler‐
ating forc e during off-road driving
When driving off-road on une ven su rfaces,
th efo rc e of theve hicle's acceleration af fects
yo ur body from all directions.
Yo u could, forex ample, be thro wn from your
seat. #
Alwayswe ar a seat belt when driving
off- road. &
WARNING Risk of inju ryto the hands
when driving over obs tacles
If yo u drive over obs tacles or in tire ruts, the
st eering wheel may fold back and cause inju‐
ri es tothe hands. #
Steering wheel must alw ays be held
securely with bo thhands. #
When driving over obs tacles, expect
increased steering forc es at short
notice. &
WARNING Risk offire due toflammable
materials on hot parts of theex haust sys‐
tem
Flammable material such as lea ves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact
wi th hot parts of theex haust sy stem. #
When driving on unpa vedro ads or off-
ro ad, regular lych eck theve hicle under‐
side. #
Remo vetrapped plants or other flam‐
mable material. #
Ifth ere is damage, consult a qualified
specialist workshop immediately. 11 6
Driving and pa rking

Obs
tacles can damage thefo llowing parts of the
ve hicle, forex ample:
R Suspension
R Driv etra in
R Fuel and supply tanks
The refore , alw ays drive slowly when off-road. If
yo u must drive over obs tacles, ha vethe co-driver
instruct you.
% Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you addi‐
tionally car rya sho vel and a reco very rope
with a shackle in theve hicle.
R Make sure that loads and items of luggage
are securely stored or lashed down
(/ page 271).
R Before driving off-road, stop theve hicle and
engage a low gear.
R Vehicles with DSR: activate DSR when you
are driving downhill (/ page127).
R All-wheel drive vehicles: activate the all-
wheel drive (/ page125) and, if necessa ry,
activate theLO W RANGE transmission ratio
(/ page 126).
R Ifth e sur face requ ires, temp orarily deactivate
ESP ®
when pulling away ( / page 148).
R Only drive off-road wi th the engine running
and a gear engaged.
R Drive slowly and smo othly. Wa lking pace is
necessary in many situations.
R Avoid spinning the driven wheels.
R Always ensure that the wheels remain in con‐
ta ct wi th the ground.
R Exercise the utmost caution when driving
across unfamiliar, unpredictable terrain. As a
precaution, getout of theve hicle totake a
look at thero ute tobe take nfirs t.
R Look out for obs tacles (e.g. rock s, holes, tree
st umps and tire ruts).
R Avoid edges where the sur face could crumble
or break away.
Ru les forfo rd ing off-road (all-wheel drive
ve hicles)
R Obser vethe saf ety no tes and general no tes
on driving off-road.
R Check the dep thand characteristics of the
body of water before ford ing. The water must
not be deeper than 23.6 in (60 cm).
R The climate control sy stem is switched off
(/ page 101). R
The auxiliary heating is swit ched off
(/ page 106).
R Activate all-wheel drive (/ page 125) and
ac tivate it on vehicles with theLO W RANGE
transmission ratio (/ page 126).
R Restrict the shift range to1or 2.
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Drive slowly and smoo thly at no mo rethan a
wa lking pace.
R Ensure that no bow wavefo rm s while driving.
R Afterfo rd ing, dry the brakes.
Af ter driving thro ugh a body of water deeper than
19 .7 in (50 cm), make su retocheck all vehicle
fl uids for any signs of penetration bywater.
Checklist af ter driving off-road
Driving over rough terrain places greater
demands on your vehicle than normal road opera‐
tion. Check your vehicle af ter driving on rough
te rrain. This allo wsyouto detect damage
prom ptly and reduce therisk of an accident for
yo urself and other road users. Clean your vehicle
th oroughly before driving on public roads.
If yo ufind damage totheve hicle af ter off-road
driving, ha vetheve hicle checked at a qualified
specialist workshop immediately.
Obser vethefo llowing points af ter driving off-
ro ad, on con stru ction sites and before driving on
public roads:
R Vehicles with DSR: deactivate DSR
(/ page 127).
R All-wheel drive vehicles: deactivate the all-
wheel drive (/ page125).
R Activate ESP ®
(/ page 148).
R Clean theex terior lighting, particularly the
headlamp s andtail lamps, and check them
fo r dama ge.
R Clean the front and rear license plates.
R Clean the windshield, windo wsand outside
mir rors.
R Clean thesteps, entra nces and grab handles.
This increases the saf ety of your foot ing.
R Clean the wheels and tires, wheel wells and
th e underbody of theve hicle with a water jet.
This increases road adhesion, especially on
we tro adw ays.
R Check the wheels and tires and wheel wells
fo r trapped fore ign objects and remo vethem.
Tr apped fore ign objects can damage the11 8
Driving and pa rking

#
In particula r,do not park on dry grass‐
land or har vested grain fields. &
WARNING Risk of accident and inju ry
due tochildren left unat tended in the
ve hicle
If ch ildren are left unat tended in theve hicle,
th ey could:
R Open doo rs,th ereby endangering other
persons or road users.
R Get out and be stru ck byoncoming traf‐
fi c.
R Ope rate ve hicle equipment and become
trapped, forex ample.
In addition, thech ildren could also set the
ve hicle in motion, forex ample by:
R Releasing the parking brake.
R Changing the transmission position.
R Starting theve hicle. #
Never lea vechildren unat tended in the
ve hicle. #
When leaving theve hicle, alw aysta ke
th eke y with you and lock theve hicle. #
Keep theve hicle key out of reach of
ch ildren. *
NO
TEDama getotheve hicle or the drive‐
train due torolling away #
Always park your vehicle safely and
according tolegal requirements. #
Always proper lysecure theve hicle
against rolling away. &
WARNING Risk of accident and inju ryif
parking brake is not applied
If yo u park theve hicle with the transmission
in park position 005Dand the parking brake is
not engaged, theve hicle may rollaw ay.
Engaging pa rkposition 005Dis not a fully ade‐
qu ate replacement forth e parking brake.
There is a risk of accident and injur y.#
Secu retheve hicle against rolling away
as desc ribed belo w. Obser
vethefo llowing points toensure that the
ve hicle is properly secured against rolling away
unin tentionally: #
alwa ys apply the parking brake. #
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
engage transmission position 005D. #
On uphill or downhill inclines: turnthe
front wheels towa rdsth e curb. #
On uphill or downhill inclines: securethe
re ar axle with a chock or an object without
sharp edges.
% Yo
u can operate the side windo wsforfive
minutes af teryo u ha veswitched off theve hi‐
cle. Manual parking brake
Applying/releasing
the handbrake le ver &
WARNING Risk of skidding or an acci‐
dent bybraking with the parking brake
If yo u ha vetobrake your vehicle with the
parking brake, the braking dis tance is consid‐
erab lylonger and the wheels may loc k.There
is an increased risk of skidding and/or acci‐
dent. #
Only brake theve hicle with the parking
brake if the service brake has failed. #
Inthis case, do not apply the parking
brake with too much forc e. #
Ifth e wheels loc k,immediately release
th e parking brake as much as required
fo rth e wheels toturn again. &
WARNING Risk offire and an accident if
th e parking brake is not released
If th e parking brake is not fully released when
driving, thefo llowing situations can occur:
R The parking brake can overheat and cause
a fire
R The parking brake can lose its holding
function #
Comple tely release the parking brake
before driving off. The brake lights do not light up when
you brake
th eve hicle with the parking brake. Driving and parking
141

Fo
rth e automatic functions towo rkcor rectl y,the
driver must be seated in the cor rect seat position
(/ page 64).
The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board electrical sy stem volt‐
age. If the on-board electrical sy stem voltage is
low or there is a malfunction in the sy stem, it
may not be possible toapply the electric parking
brake and theye llow 0024 indicator lamp lights
up.
In this case, park theve hicle in thefo llowing way:
R Park theve hicle on le velground and secure it
to prev ent it from rolling away.
R Ve
hicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission toposition 005D.
% The electric parking brake is only actually
applied when there d0049 and0024 (USA)
or 0024 (Canada) indicator lamps light up
continuousl y.
It may not be possible torelease a parking brake
if th e on-board electrical sy stem voltage is low or
if th ere is a malfunction in the sy stem. Inform a
qu alified specialist workshop.
When the engine is switched off, the electric
parking brake car ries out a function test at regu‐
lar inter vals. Noises are normal in this process.
Au tomatically applying the electric parking
brake
Ve hicles with automatic transmission:
The electric parking brake is auto matically
applied when the transmission is in position 005D.
In addition, at least one of thefo llowing condi‐
tions must be fulfilled:
R The engine is switched off
R The driver is not sitting in the driver's seat
R The belt buckle is undone To
prev ent the electric parking brake from apply‐
ing automaticall y,pull switch 1.
The electric parking brake is also automatically
applied if Active Dis tance Assi stDISTRONIC has
brought theve hicle toast andstill.
In addition, at least one of thefo llowing condi‐
tions must be fulfilled:
R The engine is switched off
R The driver is not sitting in the driver's seat
R The belt buckle is undone
R There is a sy stem malfunction
R The po wer supp lyis insuf ficient
R The vehicle is stationary for a long time
The red0049 and0024 (USA) or 0024(Canada)
indicator lamp in the instrument display lights up.
The electric parking brake is only actually applied
when there d0049 and0024 (USA) or 0024
(Canada) indicator lamps light up continuousl y.
Re leasing the electric pa rking brake automat‐
ically
Ve hicles with automatic transmission:
The electric parking brake of your vehicle is
re leased when all of thefo llowing conditions are
fulfilled:
R The driver is sitting in the driver's seat.
R The driver is belted.
R The engine is running.
R The transmission is in position 005Bor005E and
yo u depress the accelera tor.
or
Yo u swit chfrom transmission position 005Dto
position 005Bor005E. You must also depress the Driving and pa
rking 14 3

Ac
tivating Active Di stance Assist DIST RONIC #
Press button 1. #
Toactivate without a stored speed: press
rock er switch 3up (SET+) or down (SET-).
The cur rent speed is then sa ved and main‐
ta ined bytheve hicle.
or #
Toactivate with a stored speed: press
rock er switch 4up (RES).
% If
rock er switch 4is pressed up twice,
Ac tive Dis tance Assi stDISTRONIC is acti va‐
te d with the speed restriction displa yed in
th e instrument clus ter.
Ac cepting the displa yed speed limit when Dis‐
tance Assist DI STRO NIC is acti vated #
Press rocker switch 4up (RES).
The speed limit displa yed in the instrument
clus ter is adop ted as thestored speed. The
ve hicle adapts its speed tothat of theve hicle
in front, but only up tothestored speed.
Pulling away again with Active Di stance
Assist DIST RONIC #
Remo veyour foot from the brake pedal. #
Press rocker switch 4up (RES).
or #
Depress the accelerator pedal briefly with
fo rc e.
The functions of Active Dis tance Assi st
DISTRONIC continue tobe car ried out. Deactivating
Active Di stance Assist
DISTRO NIC &
WARNING Risk of accident due toActive
Dis tance Assi stDISTRONIC still being
activated when you lea vethe driver's
seat
If yo u lea vethe driver's seat while theve hicle
is being braked byActive Dis tance Assi st
DISTRONIC only, theve hicle can rollaw ay. #
Always deactivate Active Dis tance
Assi stDISTRONIC and secure theve hi‐
cle topreve nt it from rolling away before
yo u lea vethe driver's seat. #
Press rocker switch 4down (CNCL). #
Depress the brake pedal.
Increasing or reducing the speed #
Push rocker switch 3up (SET+) or down
(SET-).
The stored speed is increased or reduced by
1 mp h (1 km/h).
or #
Press and hold rocker switch 3up (SET+)/
down (SET-).
The stored speed is increased or reduced in
1 mp h (1 km/h) increments.
or #
Push rocker switch 3beyond the pressure
point.
The stored speed is increased or reduced by
5 mp h (10 km/h).
or #
Push rocker switch 3beyond the pressure
point and hold.
The stored speed is increased or reduced in
5 mp h (10 km/h) increments.
Increasing or reducing the specified distance
from the vehicle in front #
Toincrease the specified distance: press
rock er switch 2down (Ò). #
Toreduce the specified distance: press
rock er switch 2up (Ñ). 15 4
Driving and pa rking

Information on Hill
Start Assist Hill
Start Assist holds theve hicle for a short time
when pulling away on a hill under thefo llowing
conditions:
R Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
transmission is in position 005Bor005E.
R The pa rking brake has been released.
This gives you enough time tomo veyour foot
from the brake pedal tothe accelerator pedal and
depress it before theve hicle begins toroll. &
WARNING Risk of accident and inju ry
due totheve hicle rolling away
Af ter a short time, Hill Start Assist no lon ger
holds theve hicle and it can rollaw ay. #
Therefore, swiftly mo veyour foot from
th e brake pedal tothe accelerator
pedal. Ne ver attem pttolea vetheve hi‐
cle if it is being held byHill Start Assist. HOLD function
HOLD function
Re quirements:
R The seat occupancy recognition on the driv‐
er's seat has de tected that the driver has fas‐
te ned the seat belt.
The HOLD function holds theve hicle at a stand‐
st ill without requ iring youto depress the brake
pedal, e.g. when pulling away on steep slopes or
when waiting in traf fic. When you depress the
accelerator pedal topull away,th e braking ef fect
is canceled and the HOLD function is deactiva‐
te d.
The HOLD function is only an aid. The responsibil‐
ity forth eve hicle safely standing still remains
with the driver.
Sy stem limits
The HOLD function is only intended toprov ide
assis tance when driving and is not a su fficient
means of safeguarding theve hicle against rolling
aw ay when stationar y.
R The incline must not be greater than 30%.
Ac tivating/deactivating the HOLD function
Requ irements: R
The vehicle is stationar y.
R The engine is running or it has been au tomati‐
cally switched off bythe ECO start/ stop func‐
tion.
R The driver is seated and belted.
R The electric parking brake is released.
R Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
selector le ver is in position 005B,005Eor005C.
R Active Dis tance Assi stDISTRONIC is deacti va‐
te d.
Ac tivating the HOLD function &
WARNING Risk of an accident due tothe
HOLD function being activated when you
lea vetheve hicle
If yo u lea vetheve hicle while only the HOLD
function is braking theve hicle, theve hicle
can rollaw ay inthefo llowing situations:
R Ifth ere is a malfunction in the sy stem or
in the po wer supp ly.
R Ifth e HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelera tor pedal or brake
pedal, e.g. byave hicle occupant. #
Always deactivate the HOLD function
and secure theve hicle against rolling
aw ay before leaving theve hicle. *
NO
TEDama gefrom auto matic braking When
Active Brake Assi st,Ac tive Dis tance
Assi stDISTRONIC or the HOLD function are
activated, theve hicle brakes autonomously in
cer tain situations.
To avo id damage totheve hicle, deactivate
th ese sy stems in thefo llowing or similar sit‐
uations: #
During towing #
In a car wash #
Make sure that the activation conditions are
met. #
Depress the brake pedal until the00D9 dis‐
play appears in the multifunction displa y.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
re lease the brake pedal.
% If depressing
the brake pedal thefirs t time
does not acti vate the HOLD function, wait
brief lyand then try again. Driving and parking
15 5

designed
forth e trailer operation
re qu irements. #
Do not modify the ball coupling or the
trailer hitch. &
WARNING Risk of accident and inju ry
due toan incor rectly ins talled ball cou‐
pling
If th e ball coupling is not ins talled and
engaged cor rectly, it may become de tach ed
during tr avel and endanger other road users.
There is a risk of fata l injur y. #
Install and secure the ball coupling as
described in the ball coupling manufac‐
turer's ins tallation instructions. #
When the ball coupling has been ins tal‐
led, ensure that it is cor rectly secu red
before every trip. &
WARNING Risk of accident due toan
incor rectly ins talled and secured ball
coupling
If th e ball coupling has not been cor rectly
ins talled and secured, the trailer can become
de tach ed. #
Install and secure the ball coupling as
described in the ball coupling manufac‐
turer's ins tallation instructions. #
When the ball coupling has been ins tal‐
led, ensure that it is cor rectly secu red
before every trip. *
NO
TEWearing out the brake linings by
continuously dep ressing the brake pedal #
Do not depress the brake pedal continu‐
ously whilst driving. #
Touse the braking ef fect of the engine,
shift toa lo werge ar in good time. Alw
ays comply with the operating instructions of
th e manufacturer of the trailer coupling and the
ball nec k.
Place your vehicle/trailer combination on sur fa‐
ces that are as even as possible and secu reit
against rolling away ( /page 140). Couple and
uncouple the trailer carefully.
When backing up theto wing vehicle, ensure that
th ere is no-one between theve hicle and the
traile r. If
yo u do not couple the trailer totheto wing vehi‐
cle cor rectly, the trailer may become de tach ed.
Once it has been coupled and is roadwor thy, the
trailer mu stbe in a horizon tal position behind the
to wing vehicle.
No tethefo llowing rega rding theto ngue weight:
R Make full use of the maximum tongue weight,
where possible.
R Neverfa ll below a legally prescribed minimum
to ngue weight; theto ngue weight must
alw ays be positive.
R Do not exceed or fall below the permissible
to ngue weights – this must be obser ved dur‐
ing loading and unloading of the trailer.
Do not exceed thefo llowing values:
R Perm itted braked or unbraked towing capa‐
city
The maximum permissible towing capacity for
unbraked trailers is 1,653 lbs (750 kg).
R Perm issible rear axle load of theto wing vehi‐
cle
R Perm issible gross mass of theto wing vehicle
R Perm issible gross mass of the trailer
R Perm issible gross comb ination mass
R Maximum permissible speed of the trailer
The releva nt pe rmitted values, which must not be
exc eeded, can be found in thefo llowing places:
R Inyour vehicle documents
R Onthe identification plate of the trailer hitch
R Onthe trailer's identification plate
R Ontheve hicle identification plate
If th ere are discrepancies between theva lues, the
lo we stone shall appl y.
Before driving off, ensu rethefo llowing:
R The tire pressure on there ar axle of theto w‐
ing vehicle has been set forth e maximum
load.
R The headlamps ha vebeen set cor rectly.
Va lues appr ovedby the manufacturer can be
fo und on the identification plates and in the sec‐
tion forth eto wing vehicle (/ page311). 17 0
Driving and pa rking

Coupling/uncoupling a trailer
Coupling a trailer
* NO
TEDama getotheve hicle battery due
to full discharge Charging
the trailer battery using the po wer
supply of the trailer can damage theve hicle
batter y. #
Do not use theve hicle's po wer supply
to charge the trailer batter y. #
Shift the selector le verto position 005D. #
Apply theve hicle's parking brake. #
Close all the doors. #
Position the trailer on a le vel sur face behind
th eve hicle.
% The ball head height
changes depending on
th eve hicle's load. In this case, use a trailer
with a height-adjus table trailer dr awbar. #
Couple up the trailer. #
Establish all electrical and other connections
to the trailer. #
Remo veobjects or devices which pr eventthe
trailer from rolling, e.g. wheel choc ks. #
Release the trailer's parking brake.
% The
vehicle harness has a cable connection
to the brake light indicator lamp.
Obser vethe maximum permissible trailer dimen‐
sions (width and length).
Most US states and all Canadian pr ovinces pre‐
scribe thefo llowing points, and you are ur gently
re commended tocomply wi th these:
R Safetych ains between theto wing vehicle and
th e trailer. The chains should be routed in a
criss-cross pat tern under the trailer dr awbar.
They must be connected tothe trailer tow
hitch and not tothe bumper or totheve hicle
axle.
Lea vesuf ficient sla ckinthech ains. This
allo wsforeve n sha rpcornering.
R A separate brake sy stem is requ ired for cer‐
ta in trailers.
R A saf etyfe ature is requ ired for braked trailers.
De term ine the specific requ irements acco rd‐
ing tothere leva nt la ws.
If th e trailer becomes de tach ed from theto w‐
ing vehicle, the saf etyfe ature triggers the
trailer brakes and can thus reduce the danger. Un
coupling a trailer &
WARNING Risk of being crushed and
becoming trapped when uncoupling a
trailer
When uncoupling a trailer wi than engaged
ine rtia-activated brake, your hand may
become trapped between theve hicle and the
trailer dr awbar. #
Do not uncouple trailers with an
engaged overrun brake. Do not uncouple a trailer with an
overrun brake in
a st ate of overrun. Otherwise, there bound of the
ove rrun brake can damage your vehicle. #
Shift the selector le verto position 005D. #
Apply theve hicle's parking brake. #
Close all the doors. #
Apply the trailer's parking brake. #
Secure the trailer against rolling away with a
wheel chock or similar object. #
Remo vethe trailer cables and saf etych ains. #
Uncou plethe trailer. Information about
towing a trailer Operating a trailer is subject
tomany statutory
re gulations such as speed restrictions.
Many states also requ ire an auxiliary separate
functional braking sy stem when towing a weight
th at exc eeds a cer tain limit. Foryo ur saf ety, it is
re commended touse a separate functional brak‐
ing sy stem on any towe dve hicle.
Make sure that your trailer combination meets
local regulations. This not only applies to your
place of residence, but also to your destination.
In fo rm ation on this can be obtained from the
police and local authorities.
Comply with thefo llowing when driving with a
trailer:
R Practice cornering, stopping and backing up
in a traf fic-free location. In this wa y,yo u will 17 2
Driving and pa rking