warning DODGE SPRINTER 2008 2.G Owners Manual

196 Controls in detailDriving and parking
3
\4
causes and consequences of tire
wear
\4
measures to be taken in the event of
tire damage
\4
tire types for certain regions, areas
of operation or conditions of vehicle
use
\4
interchangeability of tires, etc.
Modifications to the brake system or
wheels are not permissible, nor is the
use of spacer plates or brake dust
shields. Any such modifications will in-
validate the vehicle’s general operating
permit.Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required
by law. These indicators are located in
six places on the tread circumference
and become visible at a tread depth of
approximately 1/16 in (1.6 mm), at
which point the tire is considered worn
and should be replaced.
The Treadwear Indicator appears as a
solid band across the tread.
Warning
G
If you feel a sudden significant vibration
or ride disturbance, or you suspect that
possible damage to your vehicle has oc-
curred, you should turn on the hazard
warning flashers, carefully slow down,
and drive with caution to an area which is
a safe distance from the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle undercar-
riage for possible damage. If the vehicle
or tires appear unsafe, have the vehicle
towed to the nearest authorized Sprinter
Dealer or tire dealer for repairs.
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197 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
3
Specified tire inflation pressures must
be maintained. This applies particularly
if the tires are subject to extreme oper-
ating conditions (e.g. high speeds, heavy
loads, high ambient temperatures).For detailed information on tires, see
"Tires and wheels" (
\2
page 341).
HydroplaningDepending on the depth of the water lay-
er on the road, hydroplaning may occur,
even at low speeds and with new tires.
Reduce vehicle speed, avoid track
grooves in the road and apply brakes
cautiously in the rain.
Warning
G
Although the applicable federal motor ve-
hicle safety laws consider a tire to be
worn when the Treadwear Indicators
(TWI) become visible at approximately 1/
16 in (1.6 mm), do not allow your tires to
wear down to that level. As tread depth
approaches 1/8 in (3 mm) for summer
tires or 1/6 in (4 mm) for winter tires, the
adhesion properties on a wet road are
sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction var-
ies widely.
Warning
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire af-
fects the ability to steer or brake the vehi-
cle. You may lose control of the vehicle.
Continued driving with a flat tire or driving
at high speed with a flat tire will cause ex-
cessive heat buildup and possibly a fire.
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198 Controls in detailDriving and parking
3
Tire tractionTire grip is greatly reduced on a wet,
snow covered or icy road. Speed and
driving style must therefore be adapted
to suit road conditions. The safe speed
on a wet, snow covered or icy road is al-
ways lower than on a dry road.
Below a tread depth of 1/8 in (3 mm),
tire grip begins to decrease rapidly on
wet roads.
Pay particular attention to the condition
of the road whenever the outside tem-
peratures is close to the freezing point.In winter, install M+S radial tires with a
minimum tread depth of approximately
1/6 in (4 mm) on all wheels to ensure
normal balanced handling characteris-
tics. On packed snow, they can reduce
y ou r st opp ing di st ance com pa re d to s um -
mer tires.Stopping distance, however, is still con-
siderably greater than when the road is
not covered with snow or ice. Exercise
appropriate caution.
For information on winter tires, see
"Winter tires" (
\2
page 404).
Warning
G
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction
will be substantially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive, steer and
brake with extreme caution.
!
CAUTION
Avoid spinning a drive wheel. This
may cause serious damage to the
drive train which is not covered by
the Sprinter warranty.
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199 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
3
Tire speed ratingRegardless of the tire speed rating, local
speed limits should be obeyed. Use pru-
dent driving speeds appropriate to pre-
vailing conditions.The vehicles are factory equipped with "L"
(vehicle models type 2500 only) or "N"-rat-
ed tires, which have a speed rating of
74 mph (120 km / h) or 87 mph (140 km /
h) respectively.
For information on speed ratings or for
additional general information on tire
speed markings on the tire side wall, see
"Tire speed rating" (
\2
page 386).
Alignment and balancePoor suspension alignment may result
in:\4
Fast tire wear
\4
Uneven tire wear, such as feathering
and one-sided wear
\4
Vehicle pulling to the left or right
Tires may also cause the vehicle to pull
to the left or right. Alignment will not
correct this condition. See an authorized
Sprinter Dealer for proper diagnosis.
Warning
G
Even when permitted by law, never oper-
ate a vehicle at speeds greater than the
maximum speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which
tires are rated can lead to sudden tire fail-
ure, causing loss of vehicle control and
possibly resulting in an accident and / or
serious injury and possible death, for you
and for others.
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200 Controls in detailDriving and parking
3
Improper alignment will not cause vehi-
cle vibration. Vibration may be the result
of a tire and wheel imbalance. Proper
balancing will reduce vibration and avoid
tire cupping and spotty wear.
Coolant temperatureDuring severe operating conditions and
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to approximate-
ly 250 °F (120 °C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature over 250 °F
(120 °C). Doing so may cause serious
engine damage which is not covered by
the Sprinter warranty.
Warning
G
\4Driving when your engine is overheat-
ed can cause some fluids, which may
have leaked into the engine compart-
ment, to catch fire. You could be seri-
ously burned.
\4Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns which can occur
just by opening the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.
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203 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
3
When the selector lever is in position
D,
you can perform gearshifts yourself,
even on vehicles with automatic trans-
mission.
Downshifting
\1
Press the selector lever to the left to-
wards
D–
.
The automatic transmission restricts
the shift range (
\2
page 204) by one
gear. The automatic transmission
shifts to the next gear down, depend-
ing on the gear currently engaged.
If ASR is deactivated or ESP
®
has malfunctioned: only
move the selector lever to N
if the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
ê

Drive

The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically.
All 5 forward gears are avail-
able.
One-touch gearshifting
Warning
G
Do not downshift for additional engine
braking on a slippery surface. The drive
wheels may lose their grip and the vehicle
could skid.iThe automatic transmission does not
shift down if you press the selector
lever towards
D–
and the speed of
the vehicle is too high. The engine
could otherwise overrev.
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207 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
3
Trailer towing
\1
Run the engine in the moderate en-
gine speed range on steep uphill gra-
dients.
\1
Depending on the uphill or downhill
gradient, shift down to shift range
3
or
2 (\2
page 204), even if cruise
control* is switched on.
Working on the vehicleWarning
G
Apply the handbrake before working on
the vehicle and shift the automatic trans-
mission into parking positionP.
The vehicle could otherwise roll away.
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208 Controls in detailGood visibility
3
\3 Good visibilityBefore starting off, adjust the rear-view
mirror and the exterior mirrors in such a
way that you can get a good overview of
road and traffic conditions.Rear-view mirror*
\1
Adjust the rear-view mirror manually.
Setting the rear-view mirror to anti-
dazzle mode1Anti-dazzle lever\1
Flick anti-dazzle lever
1
to the rear.
Exterior mirrors
\1
Adjust the exterior mirrors manually.
Mirrors
Warning
G
The exterior mirrors reduce the size of the
image. Objects therefore appear further
away than they really are. You could
therefore cause an accident if you only
observe traffic in the exterior mirrors.
For this reason, you should pay attention
to traffic behind you by also using the
main exterior mirror and, if necessary, the
rear-view mirror, especially while maneu-
vering or overtaking.
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213 Controls in detail
Good visibility
3
Wiping with washer fluid
\1
Turn switch
1
to
5
or
2
and keep
it pressed until the window is clean.
The windshield heating is operational
while the engine is running.
The windshield heating consumes a lot
of energy. You should therefore switch
the heating off as soon as the windshield
is clear.
The heating switches off automatically
after approximately 5 minutes.The switch for the windshield heating is
on the center console.
1To switch on / off
Windshield heating*
Warning
G
Clear ice or snow from the windshield be-
fore commencing a journey. Iced-up win-
dows restrict your view. You could cause
an accident and endanger yourself and
others. Do not start the vehicle if the win-
dows are iced up, fogged up or covered in
snow.
N54.25-2920-31
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217 Controls in detail
Air conditioning
3
The interval for replacing the filter de-
pends on environmental factors, e.g.
high air pollution. The interval may be
shorter than that indicated in the Ser-
vice Booklet.
iCondensation may collect under the
vehicle while Tempmatic is in opera-
tion.
Warning
G
Air flowing out of the air vents in the foot-
well when Tempmatic is in operation may
be very hot or very cold. There is therefore
a risk of frostbite or burns to bare skin in
the immediate proximity of these outlets.
Keep bare skin away from these air out-
lets. If necessary, direct the airflow into a
different area of the vehicle interior using
the air distribution control.
iIf the vehicle interior has been heat-
ed up, ventilate the vehicle before
starting your journey or briefly
switch to air-recirculation mode for
faster cooling.
Keep the air inlet on the hood free
from ice and snow.
Position the sliders for the center air
vents in the central position to pro-
vide practically draft-free ventilation.
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