weight DODGE SPRINTER 2008 2.G Owners Manual

5 Introduction
Environmental protection
Introduction
\3 Environmental protectionEnvironmental note
H
Chrysler’s declared policy is one of compre-
hensive environmental protection.The objectives are for the natural resourc-
es which form the basis of our existence
on this planet to be used sparingly and in
a manner which takes the requirements
of both nature and humanity into ac-
count.You too can contribute to environmental
protection by operating your vehicle in an
environmentally-responsible manner.
Fuel consumption and engine, transmis-
sion, brake and tire wear depend on the
two following factors:
\4Operating conditions of your vehicle
\4Your personal driving style
You can influence both factors.
Observe the following notes:
Operating conditions
\4Avoid driving short distances as this
increases fuel consumption.
\4Make sure that the tire pressures are
always correct.
\4Do not carry any unnecessary weight
in / on the vehicle.
\4Keep an eye on the vehicle’s fuel con-
sumption.
\4Remove roof racks once you no long-
er need them.
\4A regularly serviced vehicle will con-
tribute to environmental protection.
You should therefore adhere to the
specified service intervals.
\4Always have maintenance work car-
ried out at an authorized Sprinter
Dealer.
\2\2
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67 Safety
Emergency exit
2
Warning (Continued)
G
\4Only vehicle occupants who are able
to operate the emergency exit win-
dow are permitted to sit next to the
emergency exit window.\4Access to the emergency exit window
must be free of obstacles. Do not
place any large or heavy objects on
the seats or in front of the seats next
to the emergency exit window.\4Do not use the window handles as
hooks, e.g., for lightweight objects,
bags or items of clothing.
Warning
G
Please observe the following instructions
to reduce the risk of an accident or injury
when exiting the vehicle through the
emergency exit window:\4Only open the emergency exit window
when the vehicle is stationary.\4Take care not to trap anyone when
closing and opening the emergency
exit window. Somebody must hold the
emergency exit window open.
Continued
Warning (Continued)
G
\4Pay attention to the traffic conditions
when opening the emergency exit
window and make sure there is suffi-
cient clearance.\4Pay attention to the traffic conditions
when exiting the vehicle and take ac-
count of the vehicle height and the
surrounding conditions.Extreme caution must be exercised in par-
ticular if there are children in the vicinity.
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116 Controls in detailSeats
3
Seat suspension adjustment* The seat suspension must be adjusted
to your body weight. Only adjust the seat
suspension when the seat is unoccup-
ied.\1
Relieve the load on the seat.
\1
Select your body weight 88 to
265 lbs (40 to 120 kg) using thumb-
wheel
6
for optimal seat suspensi-
on.
The seat suspension becomes har-
der as you adjust it to a higher body
weight. The seat will then travel
down as far.
Suspension lock* If the seat bounces up and down fre-
quently, you can engage the seat the lo-
wer position of its suspension travel.\1
Turn lever
7
downward.
The next time the seat bounces, it
will engage.
\1
Turn lever
7
upward to release the
seat from the suspension lock.The seat can now move up and down
again.
Swivelling front seats*
iThe suspension lock will engage only
if your weight is identical or above
the adjusted suspension weight.
Warning
G
Only adjust the seats when the vehicle is
stationary and the handbrake is applied.
You could otherwise lose control of the
vehicle as a result of the seat moving and
cause an accident.
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276 Controls in detailTransporting
3
\3 TransportingLoading 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 changes of direction or poor road
conditions, thereby injuring you or others.
The same applies to dismantled seats if
left inside the vehicle.Please note that loads increase the risk of
injury during an accident even if you com-
ply with all loading guidelines.Observe the notes in the "Securing a load"
section (\2page 280).
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 steering characteristics would
be greatly altered. Braking and stopping
distances would be significantly longer.
Continued
Warning (Continued)
G
Your vehicle's driving, steering and brak-
ing characteristics change as the vehi-
cle's gross weight increases or its center
of gravity is raised.Always ensure that loads are distributed
correctly and adapt your driving style in
accordance with the load.
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278 Controls in detailTransporting
3
During loading
\1
Observe the maximum permissible
axle loads and permissible gross
weight for the vehicle.
\1
Observe the notes on load distribu-
tion (
\2
page 279).
\1
Secure the load (
\2
page 280). All
country-specific legal requirements
must be observed.
Checks after loading
\1Securing a load:
before each jour-
ney and at regular intervals during
longer journeys, check whether the
load is properly secured and take ad-
ditional securing measures, if neces-
sary.
\1Doors:
close the sliding doors and
rear doors.
\1Tire pressure:
adjust the tire pres-
sure in accordance with the vehicle's
load (
\2
page 365).
\1Driving characteristics:
adapt your
driving style to the load.
!
CAUTION
In passenger vans with the maximum
number of seats, the maximum pay-
load would cause the permissible
rear axle load to be exceeded.
iBear in mind that your vehicle's un-
laden weight is increased by the in-
stallation of optional equipment and
accessories.
Warning
G
Make sure that the sliding doors and rear
doors are always closed when the engine
is running.
Otherwise, exhaust fumes could enter the
vehicle interior and poison you.
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282 Controls in detailTransporting
3
\1
Always attach the lashing net or
tarps to all available lashing points.
While doing so, make sure that the
mounting hooks cannot open unin-
tentionally.
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 lash-
ing 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 individu-
al lashing points
(\2
page 629).
During full-braking applications, for
example, forces can be involved that
are much greater than the weight
force of the load.
Always use several lashing points in
order 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 immediately in front of and be-
hind the load. The locking rods ab-
sorb possible shifting forces directly.
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283 Controls in detail
Transporting
3
Warning
G
If you tension the lashing straps between
the side walls or between a side wall and
the load compartment floor, the permissi-
ble load for the lashing rails, lashing
points or lashing eyes could be exceeded
in the event of strong braking, sudden
changes of direction or an accident.The load would no longer be secured,
which could result in serious injuries
caused by the load slipping.
Continued
Warning (Continued)
G
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.
iSecuring loads to the load compart-
ment floor is only recommended for
lightweight loads and should be rein-
forced by using anti-slip mats.Warning
G
Before releasing lashing straps, make
sure that the load is stable and would not
tip over even without being lashed down.
Otherwise, you or others could be injured
by a moving load.
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304 OperationDriving tips
4
Electrical connections*The Sprinter Vehicle is available with a
variety of pre-installed conditions (lines
and turn signal indicator and brake mod-
ule installed and / or not installed). Make
sure that the correct trailer hitch receiv-
er kit is used. For further information,
please see your authorized Sprinter
Dealer.
In order to prevent possible damage to
the vehicle’s electrical system by incor-
rectly installing the trailer wiring plug,
we recommend having the harness con-
nected at an authorized Sprinter Dealer.
GVWR (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight R
ating)
The total allowable weight of the vehicle.
All occupants, all cargo, and the trailer
tongue load must never exceed the
GVWR.GAWR (G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
The total allowable weight that can be
c a r r i e d b y a s i n g l e a x l e ( f r o n t ( F A ) o r r e a r
(RA)).
GCWR (G
ross C
ombination W
eight
R
ating)The total allowable weight of vehicle and
trailer when weighed in combination in-
cluding a 150 lbs (68 kg) allowance for
the presence of a driver.GTW (G
ross T
railer W
eight)
The maximum permissible trailer weight
to be towed.TWR (T
railer T
ongue W
eight R
ating)
The maximum permissible weight of the
trailer tongue (limit for Sprinter Vehicle
approved hitch receiver).
Vehicle and trailer weights and
ratings
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305 Operation
Driving tips
4
For the permissible weights and ratings,
refer to the following table.
!
CAUTION
Cargo vans with a long wheelbase of
170.3 in (4325 mm) and an overall
vehicle length of 289.1 in (7344 mm)
have a reduced GTW and TWR.
iThe GVWR and the front/rear GAWR
of your vehicle are indicated on the
certification label.
!
CAUTION
For vehicle model type 3500, the al-
lowable GCWR is less than the com-
bined maximum weight of the GVWR
and the GTW. Exceeding the GCWR
can cause damage to the drive train,
the transmission, or the trailer
hitch*.
Thus, the permissible values for
GVWR and/or the GTW are reduced
when either the trailer or the vehicle
is fully laden. you may therefore only
partly load the vehicle and/or the
trailer.
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307 Operation
Driving tips
4
When loading the a trailer, you should
observe that the GCWR of your vehicle is
not exceeded.
You must distribute total weight be-
tween the vehicle and the trailer such
that neither the permissible GTW, nor
the GVWR and front/rear GAWR , nor
the TWR are exceeded.
The tongue weight at the hitch ball must
be added to the GVWR to prevent ex-
ceeding your Sprinter tow vehicle’s rear
GAWR.Maximum permissible values are listed
on the safety compliance certification la-
bels for the vehicle and for the trailer to
be towed. The lowest value listed must
be selected when determining how the
vehicle and trailer are loaded. For more
information, refer to “Vehicle and trailer
weights and ratings” (
\2
page 304).
Checking weights of vehicle and
trailerTo assure that the tow vehicle and trailer
are in compliance with the maximum
permissible weight limits, and to know
the actual weights, have the loaded vehi-
cle-trailer combination (tow vehicle in-cluding driver, passengers and cargo,
trailer fully loaded) weighed on a com-
mercial scale.
Check the vehicle’s front and rear Gross
Axle Weight (GAW), the GTW, the TW and
the Gross Combination Weight (GCW).
The values as measured must not be ex-
ceeded, according to the weights listed
under “Vehicle and trailer weights and
ratings” (
\2
page 304).
Loading the vehicle and/or a
trailer
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