trailer MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2014 MY14 Operator’s Manual

Useful information
............................136
Breaking-in notes .............................. 136
Driving ............................................... 136
Automatic transmission ...................144
Refueling ............................................ 148
Parking ............................................... 151
Driving tips ........................................ 153
Driving systems ................................ 161
Working mode ................................... 172
Towing a trailer ................................. 173 135Driving and parking

i
To unlock the steering, move the steering
wheel slightly while turning the key to posi-
tion 1. Preparing for a journey
Visual check of the vehicle exterior X
In particular, check the following compo-
nents on the vehicle, and on the trailer as
necessary:
R license plates, vehicle lighting, turn sig-
nals, brake lamps and wiper blades for
dirt and damage
R tires and wheels for firm seating, correct
tire pressure and general condition
R trailer tow hitch for play and security
i The trailer coupling is one of the most
important vehicle parts with regard to road
safety. The separate instructions issued by
the manufacturer pertaining to operation,
care and maintenance should be observed.
X Rectify any noticeable defects before com-
mencing the journey.
Checks in the vehicle Emergency equipment/first-aid kit
X Check the equipment to make sure that it
is accessible, complete and ready for use.
The first aid and breakdown assistance equip-
ment is in the front door stowage compart-
ments and behind the driver's seat.
Vehicle lighting
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Check the lighting system with the aid of a
second person.
X Replace defective bulbs (Y page 100). Before driving off
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell may restrict
the clearance around the pedals or block a
depressed pedal. This jeopardizes the oper-
ating and road safety of the vehicle. There is
a risk of an accident.
Stow all objects securely in the vehicle so that
they do not get into the driver's footwell.
When using floormats or carpets, make sure
that they are properly secured so that they do
not slip or obstruct the pedals. Do not place
several floormats or carpets on top of one
another. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage
of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals.
X Secure the load as per the loading guide-
lines (Y page 242).
X Make sure that the floormats and carpets
are properly secured so that they cannot
slip and obstruct the pedals.
X Close all doors. Starting the engine
G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine. 138
DrivingDriving and parking

X
To derestrict the shift range: press and
hold the selector lever towards D+until D
D
appears in the display again.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.
X To select the optimum shift range: press
and hold the selector lever to the left
towards D–.
The automatic transmission will shift to a
range which allows easy acceleration and
deceleration. To do this, the automatic
transmission will shift down one or more
gears. Shift ranges
When the selector lever is in position Dyou
can restrict or derestrict the shift range for
the automatic transmission.
X To extend/restrict the shift range: press
the selector lever briefly to the right
towards D+or left towards D–.
The display shows the selected shift range.
The automatic transmission shifts only as
far as the relevant gear.
i If the maximum engine speed for the
restricted shift range is reached and you
depress the accelerator pedal, the auto-
matic transmission will not shift up. Driving situations
0038
Use the braking effect of the engine
on steep downhill gradients and for
driving:
R
on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 0037
Use the braking effect of the engine
on extremely steep downhill gradi-
ents and long downhill stretches. Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R lots of throttle: later upshifts
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
next gear down, depending on the engine
speed.
X Ease off on the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts up again.
Maneuvering Maneuvering in a tight space:
X
Control the vehicle's speed by braking
carefully.
X Depress the accelerator pedal slightly and
evenly.
i You can shift back and forth between
drive position Dand reverse gear Rat low
speeds without applying the brakes. This
can help you, for example when rapidly
maneuvering the vehicle or rocking it out of
snow or slush.
Towing a trailer X
Drive at moderate engine speeds on steep
uphill gradients.
X Depending on the uphill or downhill gradi-
ent, shift down to a shift range adapted to
the driving situation (Y page 146), even if
cruise control is activated. 146
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

When you return from your journey, and as
close to the border as possible, you will need
to:
R remove the adhesive surfaces from your
halogen headlamps and clean the glass of
the headlamps if necessary
R have the Bi-Xenon headlamps reset to
asymmetrical low beam at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop Transport by rail
Transporting your vehicle by rail may be sub-
ject to certain restrictions or require special
measures to be taken in some countries due
to varying tunnel heights and loading stand-
ards.
You can obtain further information from any
authorized Sprinter dealer. Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients !
Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
On long and steep downhill gradients, you
should change down to shift range 0048or0047
in good time. This should be observed in par-
ticular when driving with a laden vehicle and
when towing a trailer. i
You must also change the shift range in
good time when cruise control is switched
on.
You thereby make use of the braking effect of
the engine and do not have to brake as often
to maintain the speed. This relieves the load
on the service brake and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This
increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately.
Drive on for a short while. The brakes are
cooled down more quickly in the airflow.
Wet road surfaces If you have been driving for a long time in
heavy rain without braking, there may be a
delayed response when you first apply the
brakes. This may also occur after driving
through a car wash or deep water.
You must depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a longer distance to the vehi-
cle in front.
While paying attention to the traffic condi-
tions, you should brake the vehicle firmly
after driving on a wet road surface or through
a car wash. This heats the brake discs, so that
they dry more quickly, which protects them
against corrosion.156
Driving tipsDriving and parking

The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range
of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the
corresponding turn signal, a double warning
tone sounds once. Red warning lamp 0043
flashes. If the turn signal remains on,
detected vehicles are indicated by the flash-
ing of red warning lamp 0043. There are no fur-
ther warning tones.
Activating/deactivating Blind Spot Assist
i Blind Spot Assist is activated when you
switch on the ignition.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
Warning lamps 0043in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately
1.5 seconds and then turn yellow.
X To deactivate: press the button in
the center console (Y page 37).
The yellow indicator lamp in exterior mir-
ror 0043first flashes and then lights up con-
tinuously. Blind Spot Assist is deactivated.
X To activate: press the button in the
center console again (Y page 37).
The yellow indicator lamp in exterior mir-
ror 0043flashes initially. If you exceed
19 mph (30 km/h) while driving, the yellow
indicator lamp in exterior mirror 0043goes
out. Blind Spot Assist is activated.
Towing a trailer
If you attach a trailer, make sure that you have
correctly established the electrical connec-
tion. This can be accomplished by checking
the trailer lighting. Blind Spot Assist is then
deactivated. The indicator lamp in the exte-
rior mirrors lights up yellow.
On vehicles with steering wheel buttons, the
message: Blind Spot Assist deacti‐
Blind Spot Assist deacti‐ vated vated
also appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
Lane Keeping Assist General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in
front of your vehicle by means of a camera at
the top of the windshield. Lane Keeping Assist
detects lane markings on the road and warns
you before you leave your lane unintention-
ally.
0043
Lane Keeping Assist camera
Lane Keeping Assist supports you from
speeds of approximately 40 mph(60 km/h).
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Lane Keeping Assist may not always clearly
recognize lane markings.
In this case, Lane Keeping Assist may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and stay in lane, in particular if
warned by Lane Keeping Assist. G
WARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There
is a risk of an accident. 166
Driving systemsDriving and parking

ings are suppressed for a certain period of
time.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lane quickly.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when nec-
essary and in good time if you cross the lane
marking, the system recognizes certain con-
ditions and warns you accordingly.
Lane Keeping Assist warns you earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a high-
way.
R the system recognizes solid lane markings.
Warnings are given later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It cannot replace
your own awareness of the immediate sur-
roundings. You are responsible for safe
maneuvering, parking and pulling away. When
maneuvering, parking and pulling away, make
sure that there are no persons, animals or
objects in the maneuvering area.
PARKTRONIC does not account for obstacles
that are:
R beneath its detection range, e.g. persons,
animals or objects
R above its detection range, e.g. overhanging
loads, overhangs or truck loading ramps
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It indicates the distance
between your vehicle and an object visually
and audibly.
Your vehicle features two separate sound
emitters with different frequencies for the warning tones. The warning ranges in front of
and behind the vehicle are indicated by dif-
ferent warning tones.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R turn the key to position 2in the ignition lock
R release the parking brake and
R move the selector lever to D,Nor R.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). PARKTRONIC is reacti-
vated at speeds below 10 mph (16 km/h).
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle with sensors in the front and rear
bumpers.
Range of the sensors !
Pay particular attention to obstacles
above or below the sensors when parking,
such as flower pots or trailer towbars.
PARKTRONIC does not recognize such
objects when they are in the immediate
vicinity of the vehicle. You could damage
the vehicle or objects.
PARKTRONIC can suffer interference from:
R ultrasonic sources such as a truck's
compressed-air brakes, an automatic car
wash or a pneumatic drill
R attachments to the vehicle, e.g. rear
mounted racks
R number plates (vehicle license plates)
that are not affixed flat against the
bumper
R dirty or icy sensors 168
Driving systemsDriving and parking

0085
Warning display segments
0083 Operational readiness symbol for the rear
area
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensor and the obstacle.
The warning display is divided into five yellow
and two red segments for each side of the
vehicle. PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow
indicator segments 0087and 0083are lit.
There is a malfunction if only the red seg-
ments of the warning display light up
(Y page 171).
The position of the gear lever determines
whether the front and/or rear area is moni-
tored. Selector lever
position Monitoring
D
Front area
R
or N Front and rear area
P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R
sixth segment, an intermittent warning
tone sounds for approximately 2 seconds.
R seventh segment, a continuous warning
tone sounds. This indicates that you have
now reached the minimum distance.
Roll-back warning PARKTRONIC automatically monitors the
area behind the vehicle if the vehicle begins
to roll backwards without reverse gear
engaged, e.g. after stopping on an uphill gra-
dient.
If PARKTRONIC recognizes an obstacle at a
distance of at most 31 in (80 cm), all the seg-
ments in the warning displays light up. A con-
tinuous warning tone also sounds as the vehi-
cle approaches the obstacle and for a further 2 seconds after the vehicle has come to a
halt.
Activating/deactivating PARKTRONIC
X
Press the 0069button.
If PARKTRONIC is deactivated, the indica-
tor lamp in the switch lights up.
Towing a trailer PARKTRONIC detects a coupled trailer if your
vehicle is equipped with the corresponding
electrical installations for trailer towing.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer. If you use
an adapter for the socket, remove it from the
socket after detaching the trailer. Otherwise,
PARKTRONIC remains deactivated for the
rear area.
Remove a detachable trailer coupling if it is
no longer required. PARKTRONIC measures
the minimum detection range to an obstacle
from the bumper, not the ball coupling. 170
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
A warning tone also
sounds for approx-
imately 2 seconds.
PARKTRONIC is deacti-
vated after approx-
imately 20 seconds.
The indicator lamp of
the
0069 button lights
up and the red seg-
ments in the
PARKTRONIC warning
display go out. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched itself off.
X
If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. The PARKTRONIC
warning displays
implausible distances.
For example, all the
segments may be lit
even though there is no
obstacle present. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or iced up.
X
Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 270).
X Turn the key to position 2again in the ignition lock. The license plate or other parts attached near the sensors may
not be secured correctly.
X
Check the license plate and attachment parts near the sensors
for correct seating. An external radio or ultrasonic source may be causing interfer-
ence.
X
Check PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Rear view camera
Important safety notes !
Objects that are not at ground level
appear further away than they actually are,
for example:
R the bumper of the vehicle parked behind
R the drawbar of a trailer
R the ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
R the tail-end of a truck
R slanted posts Only use the camera guide lines for orien-
tation. Do not get any closer to objects than
the lowest horizontal guide line. You may
otherwise damage your vehicle and/or the
object.
The rear view camera is only an aid. It cannot
replace your own awareness of the immedi-
ate surroundings. You are responsible for
safe maneuvering and parking. When maneu-
vering and parking, make sure that there are
no persons, animals or objects in the maneu-
vering area. Driving systems
171Driving and parking Z

ADR is automatically deactivated if:
R you release the parking brake.
R the brake pedal is depressed.
R the vehicle moves.
R the control unit detects a malfunction.
Setting the working speed X
Activate ADR.
X To increase: press the0091button.
X To decrease: press the0092button. Towing a trailer
Notes on trailer towing
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you install a ball coupling other than the one
delivered with the vehicle, the trailer tow hitch
and the rear axle may be overloaded. This
applies especially if the ball coupling in ques-
tion is longer or angled differently. This could
seriously impair the driving characteristics
and the trailer can come loose. There is a risk
of an accident.
Only install the ball coupling delivered with
the vehicle or a ball coupling that is designed
to meet your trailer towing requirements. Do
not modify the ball coupling or the trailer tow
hitch. G
WARNING
If you use a ball coupling that is not approved
for your vehicle, it may cause excessive strain
on the trailer tow hitch. This can cause dam-
age to the vehicle and the trailer may come
loose during the journey. The handling may be
impaired and the rear axle may be overloaded.
This may lead to an accident involving serious
or even fatal injury.
Therefore note the following:
R Only install a ball coupling that is approved
for your vehicle.
R Before the journey, make sure that the ball
coupling is correctly installed and secured.
To do this, observe the operating instruc-
tions of the ball coupling manufacturer.
R Do not make any modifications to the ball
coupling or the trailer tow hitch.
You must observe the operating instructions
of the trailer tow hitch or ball coupling manu-
facturer. G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly installed
and secured, it could come loose while driving
and endanger other road users. There is a risk
of an accident and injury.
Install and secure the ball coupling as descri-
bed in the ball coupling manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions. Make sure that the ball
coupling is correctly installed and secured
before every journey. G
WARNING
When the vehicle/trailer combination begins
to lurch, you could lose control of it. The vehi-
cle/trailer combination could even rollover.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten up the vehicle/trailer combination
by increasing the speed. Reduce vehicle
speed and do not countersteer. Apply the
brake as necessary. Towing a trailer
173Driving and parking Z

G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This
increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
Always observe the operating instructions
provided by the manufacturers of the trailer
coupling and the ball coupling.
Couple and decouple the trailer carefully.
When backing up the towing vehicle, make
sure nobody is standing between the vehicle
and the trailer.
A trailer which is incorrectly coupled to the
towing vehicle could break away. A correctly
coupled trailer must be positioned horizon-
tally behind the towing vehicle.
Ensure that the following weights are not
exceeded:
R the permissible noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the permissible gross weight of both the
towing vehicle and the trailer
R the permissible gross combination weight
The applicable permissible values that may
not be exceeded can be found:
R in your vehicle documents
R on the type plates for the trailer tow hitch
R on the type plates for the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
(Y page 319).
Where the values differ, the lowest is valid.
You will find values approved by the manu-
facturer on the identification plates and those
for the towing vehicle in the "Permissible trailer loads and trailer drawbar noseweights"
section (Y
page 178).
Your vehicle behaves differently with a trailer
than without one.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is more susceptible to strong crosswinds
R requires more sensitive steering
R has a larger turning circle
This may impair the handling characteristics.
When towing a trailer, always adjust your
speed to suit the road and weather condi-
tions. Drive carefully. Maintain a safe dis-
tance.
If you require any further explanation of the
information contained in the Operating
Instructions, please contact an authorized
Sprinter dealer.
General notes R
Observe the legally prescribed maximum
speed for vehicle/trailer combinations in
the relevant country, state or Canadian
province. Before setting off, check the vehi-
cle documents of the your trailer to find out
the permissible maximum speed.
This reduces the risk of accidents.
R Install only an approved trailer coupling on
your vehicle. Only use a ball coupling that
is approved for your vehicle and Sprinter
trailer tow hitch. More information on the
availability, mounting and installation of the
trailer electrics is available at any qualified
specialist workshop.
R The turn signals on the trailer are only guar-
anteed to function when incandescent
bulbs are used. You can obtain more infor-
mation about installing the trailer electrics
at any qualified specialist workshop.
R The trailer coupling is one of the most
important vehicle parts with regard to road 174
Towing a trailerDriving and parking