light DODGE SPRINTER 2008 2.G Owners Manual

337 Operation
Battery
4
The batteries must always be sufficiently
charged so that they achieve their in-
tended service life.
Have the battery charge status checked
more frequently if you use the vehicle
mainly for short trips or if you leave it
parked up for a long period.
If you intend to leave your vehicle
parked up for a long period, seek advice
from an authorized Sprinter Dealer and
switch off the electrical system at the
battery isolating switch (
\2
page 338).You will find further information in the
“Practical hints” section (
\2
page 573).
!
CAUTION
Switch off the engine and wait for
approximately 20 seconds before you
loosen or disconnect the terminal
clamps. You could otherwise damage
electrical system components.Care of batteries!
CAUTION
Dirty terminal clamps and battery
surfaces cause leakage current, lead-
ing to battery discharge. Always keep
the terminal clamps and battery sur-
faces clean and dry. Lightly grease
the terminal clamps, particularly the
undersides, with acid-proof grease.
!
CAUTION
Cleaning agents containing fuel can
corrode the battery casing. Only
clean with commercially available
cleaning agents and clean the bat-
tery casing with the cell caps
screwed in.
nf_BA.book Page 337 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

350 OperationTires and wheels
4
1Treadwear Indicator (TWI)The Treadwear Indicator appears as a
solid band across the tread.
Storing tires
Cleaning tires
Warning
G
Although the applicable federal motor
safety laws consider a tire to be worn
when the Treadwear Indicators (TWI) be-
come visible at approximately
1/16in
(1.6 mm), we recommend that you do not
allow your tires to wear down to that lev-
el. As tread depth approaches
1/8in
(3 mm) for summer tires or
1/6in (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.
!
CAUTION
Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light
as possible. Protect tires from con-
tact with oil, grease and gasoline/
diesel.
!
CAUTION
Never use a round nozzle to power
wash tires. The intense jet of water
can result in damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.
nf_BA.book Page 350 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

383 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
Tire size designation, load and speed
rating1Design standard
2Tire width
3Aspect ratio in %
4Radial tire code
5Rim diameter
6Tire load rating
7Tire speed rating
Tire sizes for Sprinter vehiclesDesign standard
Depending on the design standards
used, the tire size molded into the side
wall may have no letter or a letter
1

preceding the tire width or the tire load
rating designation.
Letter “LT” preceding the size designa-
tion:
Light Truck tire based on U.S. design
standards.
Letter “C” preceding the tire load desig-
nation:
Commercial vehicle tire based on Euro-
pean design standards.
iFor illustrative purposes only. The ac-
tual data on tires is specific to each
vehicle and may vary from the data
shown in the above illustration.
Sprinter Vehicle type
2500
LT 245/75 R 16 120/116 N
3500
LT 215/85 R 16 115/112 NLT 215/85 R 16 115/112 Q
nf_BA.book Page 383 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

406 OperationWinter driving
4
Drive with particular care on icy roads.
Avoid sudden acceleration, steering
movements and braking.
If it seems likely that the vehicle is about
to enter a skid or cannot be stopped at a
low speed:\4
Move the selector lever to position N.
\4
Try to maintain control of the vehicle
using light corrective steering.
Road salt may adversely affect braking
efficiency. It may therefore be necessary
to apply the brakes more forcefully in or-
der to achieve the same braking force as
normal.
iW h e n t h e y h a v e b e e n r e m o v e d , s t o r e
wheels and tires in a cool, dry, and if
possible dark place. Protect the tires
from oil, grease, and gasoline /
diesel.
Driving in winterWarning
G
Downshifting to brake could cause the
drive wheels to lose grip on a slippery sur-
face due to the increased difference in
speed between the engine and the drive
wheels at this time.
Do not downshift for additional engine
braking on a slippery surface. Use the ser-
vice brake in accordance with road condi-
tions. Only downshift to a lower gear
when traveling at a low engine speed.
nf_BA.book Page 406 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

420 OperationCleaning and care of the vehicle
4
Steps Engine cleaning Light-alloy wheels*
Clean light-alloy wheels on a regular ba-
sis.
Warning
G
Dirty or iced-up steps and entrances cre-
ate a risk of slipping or falling.
Keep steps, entrances and footwear free
from dirt (e.g. mud, clay, snow and ice).
!
CAUTION
Do not allow water to enter the in-
take and ventilation openings.
When cleaning with high-pressure
water or steam cleaners, the spray
must not be aimed directly at electri-
cal components or at the end of elec-
trical lines.
Treat the engine with preservative
agents after cleaning. Protect the
belt drive system from the preserva-
tive when you do so.
!
CAUTION
Do not use any acidic or alkaline
cleaning agents. They can cause cor-
rosion of the wheel bolts (wheel
nuts) or the balancing weight retain-
ers.
nf_BA.book Page 420 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

423 Operation
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
4
Rear view camera\1
Clean the camera lens
1
using wa-
ter and a soft cloth only.Be careful not to apply wax to the cam-
era lens
1
when waxing the vehicle. If
necessary, remove the wax using sham-
poo with plenty of water.
If you clean the vehicle with a high-pres-
sure cleaner or steam cleaner, maintain
a minimum distance of 1.6 ft (50 cm) to
the rear view camera. To prevent dam-
age, do not aim directly at the rear view camera or at the microphone openings
on the underside of the rear view cam-
era.
Plastic trims
Light soiling
\1
Wipe plastic parts with a damp, lint-
free cloth (e.g. a micro-fiber cloth).
1 Camera lens
2 Microphone openings
!
CAUTION
D o n o t u s e d r y , c o a r s e o r h a r d c l o t h s
and aggressive cleaning agents. Do
not scrub or use high pressure. You
will otherwise scratch or damage the
lens or the camera.
!
CAUTION
Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths
and do not scrub. You will otherwise
scratch or damage the surfaces.
nf_BA.book Page 423 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

425 Operation
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
4
\1
Clean the display surface with a
commercially-available microfiber
cloth and cleaner for TFT/LCD dis-
plays.
\1
After drying, wipe the display surface
with a dry microfiber cloth using only
slight pressure.
Seat beltsRemove stains or dirt immediately to
prevent damage or the build-up of resi-
dues.
!
CAUTION
D o n o t u s e d r y , c o a r s e o r h a r d c l o t h s ,
abrasive material, solvent or solvent-
based cleaning agent. Do not scrub
or use high pressure.
You will otherwise damage the
pressure- and scratch-sensitive dis-
play surface.
!
CAUTION
Clean the seat belts with a mild wash-
ing solution. Do not dry the seat belts
in direct sunlight or at temperatures
above 176 °F (80 °C).
!
Do not bleach or dye the seat
belts. This could impair the function
of the seat belts.
After driving off-road or on
construction sitesWarning
G
Dirt on the vehicle can affect road and op-
erating safety.In particular, the following dangers
can arise:Stone chippingsStones trapped between the tires can be
thrown out while the vehicle is in motion
and injure other road users or damage their
vehicles (in particular the windshield).
Continued
nf_BA.book Page 425 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

426 OperationCleaning and care of the vehicle
4
\1
Clean the vehicle, particularly the
lighting equipment, windows, exteri-
or mirrors, steps, entrances, grab
handles, wheels, tires, wheel hous-
ings and license plates. Observe the
notes in this section.
\1
Remove any trapped foreign objects,
e.g. stones.
Warning (Continued)
G
Risk of skiddingDirt and mud on the tires / road surface
reduce wheel grip. This is especially so if
the road surface is wet. The vehicle could
then start to skid.Risk of slippingDirt and mud on the steps and entrances
make the steps less safe. As a result you
could slip from the steps and injure yourself.For this reason, always clean your vehicle
carefully after driving off-road and on con-
struction sites before using public roads.
Continued
Warning (Continued)
G
If you use a high-pressure cleaner or auto-
matic car wash for this purpose, you must
follow the relevant safety instructions in
this section.
Warning
G
Dirty brake discs and brake pads / linings
can impair braking power (to the point of
total failure).You could thereby cause an accident.Check the brake system for operating
safety by testing the brakes before driving
the vehicle onto public roads.If braking power is impaired, stop the ve-
h i c l e a s s o o n a s i t i s s a f e t o d o s o a n d c o n -
sult an authorized Sprinter Dealer which
has the necessary specialist knowledge
and tools to carry out the work required.
Continued
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431 Practical hints
What to do if ...
5
Problem
Possible cause / result
Suggested solutions
The anti-theft alarm system is suddenly trig-
gered.
You have opened the vehicle using the key
while the anti-theft alarm system was still
primed.
Key:
\1Press theΠbutton.
or
\1Insert the key into the ignition lock.
The anti-theft alarm system is deacti-
vated.
You hear a warning signal.
A message appears in the display.
\1Observe the instructions on
(\2page 484).
You are driving with the handbrake applied.
\1Release the handbrake (\2page 191).
You opened the driver’s door and forgot to
switch off the lights.
\1Turn the light switch to0.
Warning
G
You are not wearing your seat belt.
\1Fasten your seat belt .
nf_BA.book Page 431 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM

442 Practical hintsWhat to do if ...
5
Headlamps and turn signalsWarning
G
Always have maintenance work carried
out at an authorized Sprinter Dealer
Continued
Warning (Continued)
G
which has the necessary specialist knowl-
edge and tools to carry out the work required.The manufacturer recommends that you
use an authorized Sprinter Dealer for this
purpose.
Continued
Warning (Continued)
G
I n p a r t i c u l a r , w o r k r e l e v a n t t o s a f e t y o r o n
safety-related systems must be carried
out at an authorized Sprinter Dealer.
There is a risk of an accident and injury if
this work is carried out incorrectly.
Problem
Possible cause / result
Suggested solutions
The headlamps are fogged up on the inside.
Air humidity is very high.
\1
Drive with the lights on.
The headlamps will defrost after the vehicle
has been driven a short distance.
Moisture has penetrated the headlamp housing since
it is not water-tight.
\1
Have the headlamps checked at an autho-
rized Sprinter Dealer.
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