load capacity DODGE SPRINTER 2007 2.G Owners Manual

117 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
3
Overrun cut-off
The gasoline/diesel supply is cut off if the
driver's foot is completely removed from
the accelerator pedal when the engine is
overrunning at engine speeds outside of
the idling control range.
Driving in wet conditionsDriving on flooded roads
If you are forced to drive on stretches of
road on which water has collected, please
note that:
\4the water level must not reach above
the lower edge of the front bumper
\4the maximum speed at which you may
drive is walking speed
Tires
The tires are particularly important for the
operating and road safety of the vehicle.
You should therefore check the pressure,
tread and condition of the tires on a regular
basis.A tire dealer, a qualified specialist work-
shop or any authorized Sprinter Dealer will
be able to provide further information re-
garding the:
\4list of recommended makes of tire
\4tire load-bearing capacity (LI Load
Index)
\4maximum tire speed (SI Speed Index)
\4tire age
\4causes and consequences of tire wear
\4measures to be taken in the event of
tire damage
\4tire types for certain regions, areas of
operation or conditions of vehicle use
\4interchangeability 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 invalidate the vehi-
cle’s general operating permit.Warning
G
The vehicle may hydroplane despite having
adequate tire tread depth and being driven
at low speeds, depending on the depth of
water on the road surface.
For this reason, avoid tire ruts and brake
carefully.
!
CAUTION
Note that vehicles in front or oncoming
vehicles create waves.
This may mean that the maximum per-
mitted water depth is exceeded.
These notes must be observed to avoid
the risk of engine damage.

156 Controls in detailTransporting
3
\3 Transporting
For more information about the maximum
roof load and roof carrier systems, please
refer to the "Technical data" section
(\2page 351).
Loading guidelinesWarning
G
Secure and position a load as described in
the loading guidelines. Otherwise, the load
could slide or be thrown around in the event
of strong braking maneuvers, sudden chang-
es of direction or poor road conditions,
thereby injuring you or others. The same ap-
plies to dismantled seats if left inside the ve-
hicle.
Please note that loads increase the risk of
injury during an accident even if you comply
with all loading guidelines.
Observe the notes in the "Securing a load"
section (\2page 158).Warning
G
Do not exceed the vehicle's permissible
gross weight or the permissible axle loads
when loading the vehicle or carrying addi-
tional passengers.
If you exceed the vehicle's permissible axle
loads or the maximum permissible gross
weight when transporting items or carrying
passengers, tire stability and driving safety
are reduced. The vehicle's driving and steer-
ing characteristics would be greatly altered.
Braking and stopping distances would
be significantly longer.
Your vehicle's driving, steering and braking
characteristics change as the vehicle's
gross weight increases or its center of grav-
ity is raised.
Always ensure that loads are distributed
correctly and adapt your driving style in ac-
cordance with the load.Warning
G
After an accident, have a damaged load
compartment floor or damaged load sur-
face, the lashing eyes and lashing materials
inspected by a specialist workshop having
the necessary technical expertise and tools
to carry out the required work.
The manufacturer recommends that you use
an authorized Sprinter Dealer for this pur-
pose. In particular, work relevant to safety
or on safety-related systems must be car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop. !
CAUTION
If you are using a roof carrier system,
observe the maximum roof load and
maximum load-bearing capacity of the
roof carrier system.

160 Controls in detailTransporting
3
\1Always attach the lashing net or tarps
to all available lashing points. While do-
ing so, make sure that the mounting
hooks cannot open unintentionally.Warning
G
Do not carry out any modifications or repairs
to the lashing points, the lashing eyes or the
lashing materials. The load or the lashing
points could accidentally come loose and
cause serious injury to you or others as well
as damage to property.
Distribute loads evenly between the lashing
points or lashing eyes.
Observe the loading guidelines.iLoose loads should be secured with an
approved lashing net or tarp.
!
CAUTION
Observe the data on the maximum
load-bearing capacity of the individual
lashing points
(\2
page 371).
During full-braking applications, for ex-
ample, forces can be involved that are
much greater than the weight force of
the load.
Always use several lashing points in or-
der to distribute force absorption, and
make sure that the lashing points have
an equal load.
iIf your vehicle has load rails in the floor,
you should position locking rods imme-
diately in front of and behind the load.
The locking rods absorb possible shift-
ing forces directly.
Warning
G
If you tension the lashing straps between
the side walls or between a side wall and the
load compartment floor, the permissible
load for the lashing rails, lashing points or
lashing eyes could be exceeded in the event
of strong braking, sudden changes of direc-
tion or an accident.
The load would no longer be secured, which
could result in serious injuries caused by the
load slipping.
For this reason, do not tension a lashing
strap between the side walls or between a
side wall and the load compartment floor.
Only locking bars or rods may be installed
between the load rails near the side walls.
Observe the operating instructions issued
by the locking bar or locking rod manufac-
turer.

162 Controls in detailTransporting
3
It is possible to mount a roof rack if your
vehicle is equipped with securing rails on
the roof.
1Securing rails
Special mountings (sliding blocks) are
available as accessories. These are avail-
able from any authorized Sprinter Dealer.Carrier systems
Warning
G
Handling and braking characteristics may
change when you have mounted carrier sys-
tems on the vehicle. You could endanger
yourself and others.
Observe the manufacturer’s installation in-
structions. An incorrectly secured carrier
system or load could:
\4come loose
\4fall off
and thereby endanger yourself and others.
Observe the maximum roof loads
(\2page 372), the maximum axle load and
the maximum load-bearing capacity of the
roof rack.
!
CAUTION
Make sure that:
\4the securing bolts for the roof
rack are tightened to a torque of
6.0 – 7.4 lb-ft (8 – 10 Nm) in the
sliding blocks provided
\4the bolts do not make contact with
the rails when tightened
\4the sliding blocks are not posi-
tioned near the plastic caps
\4the sliding blocks have the correct
cross-section
\4the securing rails are free of dirt on
the inside
\4the securing bolts are retightened
evenly after approximately
300 miles (500 km)
This will help to avoid damage to the ve-
hicle.
Only install roof racks that have been
approved or recommended for Sprinter
vehicles. These are available in any au-
thorized Sprinter Dealer.

200 OperationTires and wheels
4
Only use wheels and tires which have been
tested and approved by the vehicle manu-
facturer.
Warning
G
Do not use a tire, wheel size or rating other
than that specified for your Sprinter vehicle.
Some combinations of unapproved tires and
wheels may change suspension dimensions
and performance characteristics, resulting
in changes to steering, handling, and brak-
ing of your Sprinter vehicle. This can cause
unpredictable handling and stress to steer-
ing and suspension components. You could
lose control and have an accident resulting
in serious injury or death. Only use the tire
and wheel sizes with load ratings approved
for your Sprinter vehicle, refer to "Tire and
loading information".
Never use a tire with a smaller load index or
speed index or capacity other than what was
originally equipped on your Sprinter vehicle.
Using a tire with a smaller load index could
result in tire overloading and failure. You
could lose control and have an accident.
Failure to equip the vehicle with tires having
adequate speed capability can result in sud-
den tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
!
CAUTION
Replacing original tires with tires of a
different size may result in false speed-
ometer and odometer readings.
Warning
G
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
When replacing rims, only use genuine
wheel bolts approved by the vehicle manu-
facturer and specified for the particular rim
type. Failure to do so can result in the bolts
loosening and possibly an accident.
Do not use retreaded/remolded tires. This
process does not always permit previous
damage to be detected. Therefore vehicle
safety cannot be guaranteed if retreaded/
remolded tires are fitted.
Warning
G
Fitting other wheel sizes to the vehicle will
change the vehicle’s handling characteris-
tics and may lead to an accident resulting in
death, severe personal injuries and property
damage.
Only certain tires meeting the tire size/
load/speed rating specifications are certi-
fied to conform to FMVSS 110 for the
Sprinter vehicle at this time. Please check
your side walls of your originally equipped
tires for specific makes/sizes, and speed
load ratings when you need to replace your
tires.
To prevent accidents resulting in possible
death, severe injury or property damage,
use only the tire and wheel sizes with load
ratings approved for your Sprinter vehicle
for your tire replacement.
Refer to "Tire and loading information"
(\2page 205).

205 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
The following labels on the vehicle show
how much weight it may properly carry.
\4Only vehicles with a gross weight ca-
pacity less than 10,000 lbs (4500 kg)
The tire and loading information plac-
ard can be found on the driver’s door B-
pillar. This placard tells you important
information about the number of peo-
ple that can be in the vehicle and the
total weight that can be carried in the
vehicle.
It also contains information on the
proper size and recommended tire in-
flation pressures for the original equip-
ment tires on your vehicle.
\4The certification label can be found be-
low the driver’s seat on an outward fac-
ing position of the mounting pillar
(\2page 373). This label tells you about
the gross weight capacity of your vehi-
cle, called the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel and cargo. The certification label also tells you about the front and rear
axle weight capacity, called the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). The GAWR
is the total allowable weight that can be
carried by a single axle (front or rear).
Never exceed the GVWR or GAWR for
either the front axle or rear axle.
1Tire and loading information placard on
driver’s door B-pillar
The information below explains how to
work with the information contained on the
placard with regards to loading your vehi-
cle.Tire and loading informationLoading the vehicle
Warning
G
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the tire
and loading information placard on the driv-
er’s door B-pillar or on the certification label
below the driver’s seat on the mounting pil-
lar. Overloading the tires can overheat them,
possibly causing a blowout. Overloading the
tires can also result in handling or steering
problems, or brake failure.
Overloading of tires is dangerous. Overload-
ing can cause tire failure, affect vehicle han-
dling, and increase the stopping distance.
Use tires of the recommended load capacity
for the vehicle. Never overload them.
The vehicle maximum load on the tire must
not exceed the load carrying capacity of the
tire on your vehicle. You will not exceed the
tire’s load carrying capacity if you adhere to
the loading conditions, tire size and cold tire
inflation pressures specified on the tire and
loading information placard, tire pressure la-
bel and this section.

206 OperationTires and wheels
4
Placard
For vehicles with a gross weight capacity
less than 10,000 lbs (4500 kg) only.
The tire and loading information placard is
located on the driver’s door B-pillar.Tire and loading information placard1Seating capacity
2Load limit informationSeating capacity
The seating capacity1 gives you impor-
tant information on the number of occu-
pants that can be in the vehicle. Observe
front and rear seating capacity.
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are designated seating posi-
tions and seat belts available. Make sure
that everyone riding in the vehicle is cor-
rectly restrained with a separate seat belt.Load limit information
Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should nev-
er exceed XXX kilograms or XXX lbs.” 2
on the tire and loading information plac-
ard. The combined weight of all occupants,
cargo/luggage and trailer tongue load (if
applicable) should never exceed the
weight referenced in that statement.
Steps for determining correct load limit
For vehicles with a gross weight capacity
less than 10,000 lbs (4500 kg) only.
The following steps have been developed
as required of all manufacturers under Title
49, Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part
575 pursuant to the “National Traffic and
Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966”.
iThe data shown on this placard is for il-
lustrative purposes only. The load limit
data and seating data are specific to
each vehicle and may vary from the
data shown in the illustration below.
Refer to the placard on your vehicle for
actual data specific to your vehicle.

207 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
Step 1
\1Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on
your vehicle’s placard.
Step 2
\1Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
Step 3
\1Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from
XXX kilograms or XXX lbs.Step 4
\1The resulting figure equals the avail-
able amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the “XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs and there will
be five 150 lbs passengers in your vehi-
cle, the amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 650 lbs (1400-
750 (5 x150) = 650 lbs).
Step 5
\1Determine the combined weight of lug-
gage and cargo being loaded on the ve-
hicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in step 4.Step 6 (if applicable)
\1If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be trans-
ferred to your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.
The following table shows examples on
how to calculate total load, cargo load and
towing capacities with varying seating con-
figurations and number and size of occu-
pants. The following examples use a load
limit of 1500 lbs. This is for illustrative
purposes only. Make sure you are using
the actual load limit for your vehicle stated
on the vehicle’s tire and loading informa-
tion placard (\2page 206).
The higher the weight of all occupants, the
less cargo and luggage load capacity is
available.

208 OperationTires and wheels
4
Example
Combined
weight limit
of occu-
pants and
cargo from
placard
Number of
occupants
(driver and
passengers)
Seating
configura-
tion
Occupants' weight
Combined
weight of all
occupants
Available cargo/luggage and trailer
tongue weight (total load limit or
vehicle capacity weight from plac-
ard minus combined weight of all
occupants)
1
1500 lbs
5
Front: 2
Rear: 3
Occupant 1: 150 lbs
Occupant 2: 180 lbs
Occupant 3: 160 lbs
Occupant 4: 140 lbs
Occupant 5: 120 lbs
750 lbs
1500 lbs - 750 lbs = 750 lbs
2
1500 lbs
3
Front: 1
Rear: 2
Occupant 1: 200 lbs
Occupant 2: 190 lbs
Occupant 3: 150 lbs
540 lbs
1500 lbs - 540 lbs = 960 lbs
3
1500 lbs
1
Front:1
Occupant 1: 150 lbs
150 lbs
1500 lbs - 150 lbs = 1350 lbs

209 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
Certification label
Even after careful determination of the
combined weight of all occupants, cargo
and the trailer tongue load (if applicable)
as to not exceed the permissible load limit,
you must make sure that your vehicle nev-
er exceeds the Gross Vehicle Weight Rat-
ing (GVWR) and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear
axle and the Gross Combination Weights
Rating (GCWR) (if applicable).
Under a maximum loaded vehicle condi-
tion, gross axle weight ratings (GAWR’s) for
the front and rear axles must not be ex-
ceeded. USA only - for vehicles with a gross weight
capacity less than 10,000 lbs (4500 kg)
only:
To determine the maximum loading condi-
tions of your vehicle, locate the statement
"The combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on the tire and loading informa-
tion placard. The combined weight of occu-
pants, cargo/luggage and trailer tongue
weight (if applicable) should never exceed
the weight referenced here.
You can obtain the GVWR, the front/rear-
GAWR and the GCWR from the certification
label. The certification label can be found
below the driver’s seat on an outward fac-
ing position of the mounting pillar
(\2page 373).For more information on the trailer tongue
load, refer to "Trailer tongue load".
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR):
The total weight of the vehicle, all occu-
pants, all cargo, and the trailer tongue load
must never exceed the GVWR.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR):
The total allowable weight that can be car-
ried by a single axle (front (FA) or rear (RA)).
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR):
The total allowable weight of vehicle and
trailer when weighed in cominbation in-
cluding a 150 lbs (68 kg) allowance for the
presence of a driver.
Vehicle Model type
GVWR
GAWR (FA)
GAWR (RA)
GCWR
2500
8550 lbs (3878 kg)
3970 lbs (1801 kg)
5360 lbs (2431 kg)
13550 lbs (6146 kg)
3500
9990 lbs (4531 kg)
11030 lbs (5003 kg)
4080 lbs (1851 kg)
4410 lbs (2000 kg)*
4080 lbs (1851 kg)
4410 lbs (2000 kg)
7060 lbs (3202 kg)
7720 lbs (3502 kg)
15250 lbs (6917 kg)
15250 lbs (6917 kg)