2020 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER towing

&
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

In wintry driving conditions, alw
ays use winter
tires (M+S tires) and, if necessar y,snow chains
(/ page 309). On lyin this wa y can the maximum
ef fect of all-wheel drive be achie ved.
Use DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation) when driv‐
ing downhill off-road (/ page126).
If yo ufa ilto adapt your driving style or if you are
inat tentive, the all-wheel drive sy stem can neither
re duce therisk of an accident nor override the
la ws of ph ysics. The all-wheel drive sy stem can‐
not take road, weather and traf fic conditions into
account. The all-wheel drive sy stem is only an
aid. You are responsible for maintaining a safe
dis tance from theve hicle in front, forve hicle
speed, for braking in good time and forst ay ing in
lane.
* NO
TERisk of damage tothe driv etra in
and the brake sy stem If
yo u operate vehicles with all-wheel drive on
a one-axle test st and, you may damage the
driv etra in or the brake sy stem. #
A function or per form ance test should
only be car ried out on a two-axle test
st and. #
Ifyo u wish tooperate theve hicle on
such a test st and, please consult a
qu alified specialist workshop in
advance. *
NO
TERisk of damage tothe transfer
case If
yo uto w theve hicle with a raised axle, the
trans fer case can getdamaged. Such damage
is not co veredby Mercedes-Benz Limited
Wa rrant y. #
Neverto w theve hicle with a raised axle. #
Only tow theve hicle with all wheels on
th e ground or fully raised. #
Notethe instructions on towing the
ve hicle with full contact with the ground
fo r all wheels. Engaging all-wheel drive
Conditions
for en gaging/disengaging
Yo u can engage and deactivate the all-wheel drive
when stationary or while driving slowl y.When
stationar y,thefo llowing must be obser ved:
R The engine is running.
R The steering wheel in thest ra ight-ahead posi‐
tion.
If th e all-wheel drive cann otbe engaged when
st ationary: #
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the selector le ver from 005Cto005B from
005B to005C from 005Cto005E and back to005C .
Engaging and disengaging the all-wheel drive
can be made easier in this wa y.
Obser vethefo llowing when driving slowly:
R The engine is running.
R The vehicle is not tr aveling fasterthan
6.2 mph (1 0 km/h).
R The vehicle is not being driven around a bend.
If it is not possible toengage all-wheel drive when
th eve hicle is rolling: #
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
brief lymo vethe selector le verto 005C . Engaging/disen
gaging all-wheel drive *
NO
TERisk of damage tothe transfer
case If
yo ustep on the accelerator pedal while the
all-wheel drive is engaged or disen gage d, the
trans fer case may be dama ged. #
Do not step on the accelera tor pedal
when the indicator lamp in the switch
fo rth e all-wheel drive is flashing. Driving and parking
12 5

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

ga
in driving experience and become accus‐
to med tothe new handling characteristics.
R Before driving, check thefo llowing:
- that the trailer tow hit chand ball coupling
are secure
- that the saf ety swit chfor braked trailers is
functioning cor rectly
- that the saf etych ains are secure and
undamaged
- that the electrical connections are secure
- that the lights are functioning cor rectly
- the wheels for dama geand cor rect tire
pressure (/ page 308)
R Adjust the outside mir rors so that you ha ve a
clear view of there ar section of the trailer.
R Ifth e trailer is equipped with an individual
braking sy stem, check before each journey
whe ther the brakes are functioning cor rectl y.
R Ifth e trailer has electronically cont rolled
brakes, pull away carefully wi th theve hicle/
trailer combination. Brake manually using the
brake controller and check whe ther the
brakes are functioning cor rectl y.
R Secu rethe load on the trailer in line with the
re qu irements and rules for load-securing
me thods.
R When driving with a trailer, check at regular
inter vals that the load is secure and that the
lights and brakes are functioning cor rectl y.
R Bear in mind that the handling characteristics
are more uns table when towing a trailer than
when driving without a trailer. Avoid sudden
st eering mo vements.
R The vehicle/trailer combination is heavier,
accelerates more slowl y,has a reduced
climbing ability and an increased braking dis‐
ta nce. It is more susceptible toside winds
and requ ires careful steering.
R If possible, do not brake suddenl y,but rath er
moderately at firs t so that the trailer can acti‐
va te its brakes. Then inc rease the pressure on
th e brake pedal.
R Ifth e automatic transmission shifts between
ge ars on uphill or downhill gradients, restrict
th e shift range. Select shi ftrange 4, 3, 2 or 1.
A lo werge ar and reduced speed decrease the
ri sk of engine damage.
R When driving on a downhill gradient, shift to a
lo we rge ar to use the engine's braking ef fect. Av
oid cons tant braking, as this could cause
th eve hicle brakes and possibly also the
trailer brakes toove rheat.
R Ifth e coolant temp erature increases signifi‐
cant lywhen the air-conditioning sy stem is
switched on, switch the air-conditioning sys‐
te m off.
Coolant heat can also be dissipated by
switching the air flow and thete mp erature of
th e heater or air conditioning tothe maximum
le ve l. Open the windo wsif necessar y.
R When overtak ing, pay particular attention to
th e increased overtaking dis tance of your
ve hicle/trailer combination.
Due tothe length of your vehicle/trailer com‐
bination you will require a longer stre tch of
ro ad before swit ching back tothe original
lane. Pe
rm issible trailer loads and trailer dr awbar
nose weights We
ight information &
WARNING Risk of accident due to
unbraked trailer with excessively high
gross weight
If yo uto w a trailer without a separate func‐
tional braking sy stem and a gross trailer
we ight (G TW) of more than 1635 lbs (750 kg),
th en theve hicle brake sy stem may overheat.
This increases the braking dis tance and the
brake sy stem may even fail. #
Always use a trailer with a separate
functional braking sy stem when towing
a trailer with a gross trailerweight
(G TW ) of more than 1635 lbs (750 kg). *
NO
TEDama getothe drive train, trans‐
mission or trailer tow hit chdue toexc ess
gross combination weight The permissible
gross combinationweight is
exc eeded.
The drive train, the transmission or the trailer
to w hit chmay be dama ged. #
Comply with the permissible gross com‐
bination weight. Fo
rve hicles with a permissible gross vehicle
we ight of 11030 lbs (5003 kg),th e permissible
gross combination weight is less than the sum of Driving and parking
17 3

If
yo uwa nttoreplace thest ar ter battery yourself,
obse rveth efo llowing no tes:
R Alwaysre place a defective star ter battery
with a star ter battery which meets the spe‐
cific requ irements of theve hicle.
R Carryove r de tach able parts such as theve nt
hose, elbow fitting or term inal co ver from the
st ar ter battery tobe replaced.
R Make sure that theve nt hose is al ways con‐
nected toits original opening on the battery
side.
Ins tallth eex isting or newly supplied stop
plugs.
Otherwise, gases or battery acid could
escape.
R Make sure that the de tach able parts are con‐
nec ted in the same way as before. Disconnecting
the auxiliary bat tery inthe
engine compa rtment *
NO
TEDama getoelectrical assemblies Elect
rical assemblies could be damaged if the
st ar ter battery is disconnected while the
engine is running. #
Switch off the engine. Then, release the
battery clamps of thest ar ter batter y. #
Always disconnect thest ar ter battery in
th e battery case in the left foot we llfirs t.
Otherwise, electrical assemblies, e.g.
th e alternator, could be damaged. *
NO
TEDama getotheve hicle's electron‐
ics Incor
rectly disconnecting the auxiliary battery
can cause damage totheve hicle's electron‐
ics. #
Always disconnect the auxiliary battery
as described in thefo llowing sequence.
Do not reve rseth e battery term inals
under any circums tances. #
Obser vethe saf ety measures and pr otection
notices when disconnecting the auxiliary bat‐
te ry ( / page 295). #
Switch off all electrical consumers. #
Switch off the engine and the po wer supp ly. #
Open the hood (/ page278). #
Firs t loosen and remo vethe negative term inal
clamp on the auxiliary battery so that the
cla mp is no longer in con tact wi th thete rm i‐
nal. #
Remo vethe positive term inal clamp co ver. #
Loosen and remo vethe positive term inal
clamp. To
wing or tow- starting Overview of permissible
towing me thods In
theeve nt of a breakdown, Mercedes-Benz rec‐
ommends that you ha vetheve hicle transpor ted
ins tead of towe d.
* NO
TEDama getotheve hicle due to tow‐
ing away incor rectly #
Obser vethe instructions and no tes on
to wing away. %
Ve
hicles with automatic transmission
and rear-wheel drive: ifth ere is a malfunc‐
tion, the automatic transmission may be
loc ked in position 005D.
If th e automatic transmission cann otbe shif‐
te dto position 005C, transport theve hicle
(/ page 303). A towing vehicle with lifting
equipment is requ ired forve hicle transport. 300
Breakdown assis tance

Pe
rm issible towing me thods Bo
th axles on the
gr ound Fr
ont axle raised Re
ar axle raised
Ve hicles with auto‐
matic transmission and
re ar-wheel drive Ye
s, no fur ther than
31 miles (50 km) at
31 mp h (50 km/h) Ye
s, no fur ther than
31 miles (50 km) at
31 mp h (50 km/h) Ye
s, if thesteering
wheel is fixe d in the
center position wi th a
st eering wheel lock
Ve hicles with all-wheel
drive Ye
s, no fur ther than
31 miles (50 km) at
31 mp h (50 km/h) No
NoTo
tow with a raised axle: towing should be per‐
fo rm ed byato wing compan y. To
wing away theve hicle with bo thaxles on
th egr ound #
Obser vethe no tes on permissible towing
me thods (/ page 300). #
Make sure that the battery is connected and
ch arge d.
When the battery is dischar ged, thefo llowing sit‐
uations occur:
R The engine cannot be star ted.
R It is not possible torelease or apply the elec‐
tric parking brake.
R Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
automatic transmission cannot be shif tedto
position 005Cor005D.
* NO
TEDama gedue to to wing away at
exc essively high speeds or over long dis‐
ta nces The driv
etra in could be damaged when towing
at exc essively high speeds or over long dis‐
ta nces. #
Atowing speed of 30 mph (50 km/h)
must not be exceeded. #
Atowing distance of 30 miles (50 km)
must not be exceeded. %
Ve
hicles with automatic transmission
and rear wheel drive: ifth ere is a malfunc‐
tion, the automatic transmission may be
loc ked in position 005D. If
th e automatic transmission cann otbe shif‐
te dto position 005C, transport theve hicle
(/ page 303). A towing vehicle with lifting
equipment is requ ired forve hicle transport. &
WARNING Risk of accident when towing
a ve hicle which is too heavy
If th eve hicle being tow- star ted or towed
aw ay is heavier than the permissible gross
mass of your vehicle, thefo llowing situations
can occur:
R The towing eye may become de tach ed.
R The vehicle/trailer combination may
swer veoreve nove rturn. #
If ano ther vehicle is tow- star ted or
to we daw ay, its weight must not exceed
th e permissible gross mass of your own
ve hicle. If a
vehicle needs tobe towe d or tow star ted, its
we ight should not be greaterth at the permissible
gross mass of theto wing vehicle. #
Information on theve hicle's permissible gross
mass can be found on theve hicle identifica‐
tion plate (/ page 338). #
Vehicles with automatic transmission: do
not open the driver's or co-driver door, as the
automatic transmission will automatically
shift toposition 005D. #
Installth eto wing eye (/ page 304). #
Secure theto wing device. Breakdown assis
tance 301